Grace "Amazing Grace" Gilligan
Died: Dec 15, 2014
Grace Gilligan, age 103, who resided in Hackettstown for the past 54 years, died peacefully on Monday, December 15, 2014, at home in Hackettstown. Grace was born on April 5, 1911, in Scranton, PA. She was the daughter of the late Thomas Walter and Louise (Steigerwald) Parry. Grace was predeceased by four siblings, as well as her husband of 53 years, Michael Bennett Gilligan, and her daughter, Sara (Gilligan) Padden.
Grace was a loving, caring, and generous homemaker who was known to her family and friends as “Amazing Grace.” She had an extraordinary sense of humor, and everyone enjoyed her spitfire personality. She was an avid walker, and the community of Hackettstown knew her well, as she was frequently seen around town on her daily walks. Grace had a great love of chocolate (homemade fudge was a specialty of hers), flowers, shopping, the New York Mets, and rocking in her favorite chair. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.
She is survived by her son, Thomas Michael Gilligan and wife Lois (Brinkman) of Fairbanks, AK; 5 granddaughters: Cindy (Gilligan) Jimenez and husband Joseph of Fayetteville, NC; Vickie Gilligan of North Pole, AK; Luann Padden of Hackettstown, NJ; Kate (Padden) Silvester of Plainsboro, NJ; and MaryBeth (Padden) Brennan and husband Jim of Rosedale, MD; 2 grandsons: Michael Gilligan and wife Tami (Jardine) of Wasilla, AK; and Thomas Parry Gilligan and wife Valerie (Gaston) of Fairbanks, AK. Grace has 19 great-grandchildren and 8 great-great-grandchildren, as well as several nieces and nephews.
The burial service will be private and held at Hackettstown Union Cemetery on Thursday, December 18, 2014.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, Memorial Processing Center, 6725 Lyons Street PO Box 7, East Sayracuse, NY 13057, or to the
Alzheimers Assocation, Greater NJ Chapter, 400 Morris Avenue Suite 251, Denville, NJ 07834.
Condolences:
Peggy Shanahan
#1
December 17th, 2014 3:41 pm
Good Bye Amazing Grace !!!!! I was always happy to see you - Luann, Kate and MaryBeth - you were always so good to her !!!!
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