Alfreda W. Grant

Alfreda, "Fredi," W. Grant (Wojcicki), age 82, passed away at Massachusetts General
Hospital on Tuesday, November 25, 2025. She was the wife of George, with whom she shared
49 years of marriage. Born in Beverly, Massachusetts on November 4, 1943, Alfreda was the
daughter of the late Alfred W. "Spike" Wojcicki, and Annie M. Wojcicki (Hayes).
Fredi was raised in the Portuguese Hill neighborhood of Gloucester. Although she was
not of Portuguese descent, Alfreda regularly attended Our Lady of Good Voyage Church with
her parents. It was at this parish that she received the sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation,
First Communion, and Confirmation. She also became an active participant in the Crowning
tradition at this church. Alfreda marched in the Crowning Processions for the Gloucester
Fraternity Club from the age of 5 through her high school years, and developed a lifelong
devotion to the Holy Spirit.
During her childhood, Fredi attended the Hildreth and Eastern Avenue Elementary
schools. She had a special interest in ballet, and studied dance for 16 years, dreaming about
becoming a ballerina. Alfreda was exposed from early childhood to her Polish ethnic roots, and
Easter was her favorite holiday from religious and cultural influences. In her teenaged years,
Fredi attended Central Grammar Middle School and Gloucester High School. Her love for the
performing arts was further expressed in high school, as she engaged in the extracurricular
activities of drama club (Thespians), acapella choir, and chorus.
Following her graduation from high school class of 1961, Alfreda attended the Leland
Powers School in Boston, earning an education in communications. The skills she acquired
provided her with the opportunity to land careers with radio stations located in Boston and
Cambridge. After working and living in Boston, Fredi decided to move back to her hometown of
Gloucester, and obtained employment at O'Donnell Usen as personal assistant to the Vice
President of the Gloucester location, as well as the switchboard operator.
On August 14, 1976, Alfreda married the love of her life, George, at Saint Anthony's By-
the-Sea Chapel near Eastern Point in Gloucester. Ten years later, on November 1, 1986, Fredi
gave birth to her only child, Alana, just 3 days prior to her own birthday. Fredi was a stay-at-
home mom, providing Alana with opportunities in early childhood to enjoy ballet lessons, piano
lessons, Scandinavian folk dancing lessons, and various trips to the local library for children's
story time, as well as trips to the art galleries at the Rocky Neck Art Colony, the Wenham
Museum, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and the Museum of Fine Arts.
Alfreda began volunteering and eventually obtained part-time employment at the Sawyer
Free Library after Alana entered elementary school. She loved shopping, trying new
restaurants, celebrating the holidays with her family, and attending musicals with her daughter at
the North Shore Music Theatre. As a woman of strong faith, Fredi was a promoter for the
Miraculous Medal devotion, and she could be found at the DES Club, where she led the Rosary
for the Crowning celebration for 3 years. Fredi was also a member of the Beverly/Peabody Elks
Lodge # 1309.
In addition to her husband, George, Alfreda is survived by her daughter, Alana Grant, of
Peabody, her sister-in-law, Maryann Ramsdell, of St. Croix, as well as many nieces, nephews,
cousins, and friends. She was predeceased by her parents, Annie and Alfred, her mother-in-law,
Alice Balestraci, her father-in-law, George R. Grant, Sr., her step father-in-law, James A.
Balestraci, her sister-in-law, Janet F. Grant, her brother-in-law, Stephen A. Grant, as well as
many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.
Visiting hours will be held at the Greely Funeral Home, 212 Washington St., Gloucester, on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, from 5-7 P.M. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of Good Voyage Church, 142 Prospect St., Gloucester, on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, at 10 A.M., followed by interment at Calvary Cemetery, 165 Eastern Avenue, Gloucester.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Alfreda's memory to the Association of the Miraculous Medal 1811 West Saint Joseph Street Perryville Missouri, 63775-1598, or to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital P.O. Box 50, Memphis, TN 38101.
Arrangements by Greely Funeral Home, 212 Washington Street, Gloucester, MA.
For online condolences please visit www.greelyfuneralhom.com