Grace Geraci Lipari

1917 - 2006

Grace Geraci Lipari of Easton, Pa., died Sunday, Feb. 5, 2006, at Easton Hospital.

Grace was born Feb. 2, 1917, in the Sommatino province of Calianisetta, Sicily, Italy. She was a daughter of the late Giovanni and Rosa Giorgio Geraci.

Grace came to the United States of America in May 1924 at the age of 7 and attended Easton schools. She was married on Jan. 8, 1944, to Paul T. Lipari of Easton. Together, they were in business for 50 years, operating Lipari's Deli and Pastry Shop in Easton.

Grace was a member of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Easton, most recently serving on the cemetery financial committee. She was a 50-year member of the church's Sacred Heart Sodality and formerly served as its president. She was also a member of the Mother Cabrini Society.

She was a member of St. Anthony's PTA, Norte Dame High School Parents' Guild and Easton area high school PTA. She was a member and president of the Easton Ladies Lodge of the Order Sons of Italy in America and most recently served as honorary trustee of the Judge Richard Grifo Lodge of the Order Sons of Italy in America. As a volunteer for the Heart Fund and the United Way, Grace served as a Northampton County committeewoman for 25 years and was a previous member of the advisory board of the Northampton County Bureau of Aging. Grace's most recent period of volunteerism was with the State Theatre of Easton, where she was a volunteer for 20 years.

She is survived by her daughters, Santa Wright and her husband, Donald S., with whom she resided in Bethlehem Township, Rosemarie Roy of Rocky Hill, Conn., and Barbara Harris and her husband, Mark, of Newbury Park; sons Russell J. and his wife, Ann, of Wilson Borough, Pa., and Paul T. Jr. and his wife, Marianne, of Nashua, N.H.; 15 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul T. Lipari Sr., on Nov. 21, 2000; son John, who died in 1986; brothers, Anthony and Salvatore; and sister, Anna Tricoli.