Lila Ann Grasberger

Lila Ann Grasberger, n�e Hulse, passed away gently in her sleep on September 3, 2010. She died on her own terms, with dignity and faith in the Lord, looking forward to spending eternity with her beloved husband, Bill, who preceded her in death by 13 years. Lila was born in Queens, N.Y., on December 20, 1927, and grew up in Port Jefferson, Long Island. In 1947, she married Bill Grasberger, then a salesman for PPG, and moved from house to house and city to city as his career advanced and the family grew. From Long Island to Philadelphia to Cleveland to New York to Tokyo to Pittsburgh to San Diego to Bethel, she quickly transformed each new house into a warm comfortable home for her husband and children, as well as for other family members whenever they were in need. As a wife and mother, Lila was encouraging, forgiving, supportive, caring, fiercely loyal, and above all, loving. She had a great sense of humor; and ok, perhaps she was strong-willed, opinionated and stubborn as well, but as she liked to say with a twinkle, "My halo is held on by my horns!" Lila's kindness, laughter, wisdom, and effervescence will be sorely miss by her three children, John and his wife, Eva Goode, of San Diego, CA, Coral Presti and her husband, Bill of Bethel, and Mick and his wife, Patty of Texas; five grandchildren and their families, Erin Grasberger, Michael and Allyson Presti, Bill and Amanda Presti, Thomas and Kathy Presti, and Matthew Presti and his fianc�, Katie Bragdon; six great-grandchildren; and many other relatives and friends throughout the country whose lives she touched. We will celebrate her life at a Memorial Mass to be held at St. Mary Catholic Church, 26 Dodingtown Road, Bethel, at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 18, 2010. As Lila was a breast-cancer survivor, in lieu of flowers, please consider making donations in her name to the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Fund (www.komen.org) or to St. Mary Church, Bethel. Lila's family members wish to express their deep appreciation to the staff of Danbury Hospital and Bethel Health Care Center for their professional and compassionate care of Lila during the last few months of her life.