Grace M. Cipriani

Grace M. Cipriani (née Martin), 79, passed away peacefully on October 2, 2018, surrounded by her loving family. Born in Brooklyn to Grace and Michael Martin, Grace is a graduate of Saint Joseph’s College in New York, and later earned a Masters degree in Education from Long Island University. She started her career as an elementary school teacher in Brooklyn in 1960. Grace was a resident of Park Ridge for 47 years. She taught at West Ridge Elementary School in Park Ridge for 21 years, retiring in 2002. She was an active member of the Park Ridge community, engaged for many years in the West Ridge PTO and the PEP Players Theater group. Grace was a tennis player, an avid reader, and a fan of sports, movies, theater, and travel. In her retirement, she enjoyed spending time with the Golden Age seniors club, taking art and history classes at Bergen Community College, vacationing with family in Wildwood Crest and Marco Island, and spending time with her two grandsons, whom she adored.

She is survived by her loving husband of 53 years, Wayne. She was a devoted mother to son Peter, daughter Lydia, and son-in-law Glenn Spoto. She was a loving and cherished “Nana” to Andrew and William Spoto. She is also survived by siblings Michael Martin, Mary Liebers, Margaret (Judy) Lucas, many nieces and nephews, and scores of friends and family. She lived her entire life surrounded by friends, making new ones wherever she went. She was intelligent, funny, loving, warm, and beautiful. She will be missed deeply by all who had the privilege of knowing her. Friends may visit with the family at Becker Funeral Home, 219 Kinderkamack Road, Westwood, NJ, Sunday, October 7 from 2-7pm. Mass will be held at Our Lady of Mercy Church in Park Ridge, Monday, October 8, at 10:30 am. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Grace’s name to the Valley Hospital Foundation: www.valleyhospitalfoundation.org/donate.