Mary Grace Kemoll Cusumano

Mary Grace Cusumano (n?e Kemoll), born March 29, 1927 in St. Louis, Missouri died January 3, 2023.

Her parents, Joe and Dora Kemoll, opened Kemoll's Restaurant the year she was born. Initially, Mary Grace, her parents, and her maternal grandmother lived in a small space behind a curtain in the back of the confectionery. Shortly after Mary Grace's birth, they moved to an apartment above their growing business.

Five years later, Mary Grace's sister, JoAnn Berger, was born. There were lots of children in their North St. Louis neighborhood, but the Kemolls were the only recent immigrant family in their neighborhood and the only family who spoke another language. Mary Grace and JoAnn played with the other children in the yard behind the apartment building. Jacks, bouncing balls, hopscotch, and marbles, Mary Grace's specialty.

Mrs. Kemoll wanted her family to assimilate into the American lifestyle, and, to that end, Mary Grace began taking piano lessons. Despite her unwillingness to practice as much as her mother wanted, she became an accomplished pianist. At the age of thirteen she was invited to play George Gershwin's signature piece, Rhapsody in Blue, at the Kiel Opera House with one of the biggest names in big bands at the time: The Paul Whiteman Orchestra. A most challenging piece even for an accomplished pianist, Rhapsody in Blue remained a favorite, and Mary Grace played it until very late in life on the same piano that her mother had custom made for her when she was a teenager.

Mary Grace attended Rosati Kain High School. She studied French and Spanish at Saint Louis University and graduated with a degree in languages. She fondly remembered reading Don Quixote in the original Spanish.

All through grade school and high school, Mary Grace also worked at the restaurant, opening up at age twelve and serving breakfast to the first customers of the day.

One evening in 1948, at a wedding with her parents, Mary Grace spotted a tall, dashing young man in an Army uniform seated across the room and fell in love. Frank Cusumano, also from a Sicilian family, was similarly awed by the girl he saw that night. They were married in 1949.

In 1950, Frank joined Kemoll's, bringing a business degree and management experience to the family business. Frank eventually became General Manager. Mary Grace and JoAnn, now raising families, still managed to work part-time. Mary Grace baked bread for Gourmet Nights and maintained an orderly, efficient, and welcoming front of house and decorated for the holidays. She worked at Kemoll's until she was 89 years old. Like her mother, she was naturally industrious and always wanted to be doing or creating. One of her nephews recalled, "Aunt Mary Grace taught us not only how to work hard, but also that hard work can be fun and satisfying."

Mary Grace had a deep sense of duty but also a great sense of humor. She loved to laugh and to make others laugh.

She was a skilled cook and entertained often and in high style. She enjoyed playing the piano and singing with her guests. She liked to close each party by playing The Party's Over.

Mary Grace was a member of: Our Lady of the Pillar Catholic Church, Chaminade Mothers' Club and the Lynnbrook Garden Club; she enjoyed bridge and poker. And when time allowed, painting, drawing, calligraphy, antique shopping, needlepoint, and gardening. She and her husband were sticklers about grammar, etiquette, and vocabulary and strove to raise courteous, eloquent children and grandchildren.

Mary Grace is survived by her children Joe (Mary Ann Cook), Mark, Doug (Rosemary), Ellen (Joe Mokwa), Laura (Manny Silva), and Frank Jr. (Monique); her sister JoAnn Berger (Ted?); her grandchildren Adam, Michael, Frank, Alex, Brooke, Daniel, Dominic, and Grace; her great granddaughter, Zoe; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Visitation at Our Lady of the Pillar Church, 401 S. Lindbergh 10:00 am-noon Monday January 9. Mass at noon.