Grace Bardinelli
Obituary Reports the death of an individual, providing an account of the person’s life including their achievements, any controversies in which they were involved, and reminiscences by people who knew them.
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Grace Marianne Bardinelli (née Imperato), who peacefully passed on Sept. 6 surrounded by her close family.
Grace was born in the Bronx on Mar. 8, 1938, and graduated from the College of Mount St. Vincent. While teaching at St. Gabriel’s School in the Bronx, at one of the school’s open house events, she was introduced to the older brother of a student. That older brother, Anthony, became the love of her life. Their first date – to see the movie “The Cardinal” – led to many more, and they were married on Nov. 21, 1964, in a ceremony and nuptial mass at the Church of Our Savior in the Bronx. A joyous reception followed at the Pierre Hotel in New York, where, 50 years later, they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary with family and friends.
Grace lived a life filled with joy and happiness, generosity of spirit and a kind word for everyone. She was the embodiment of her name, lighting up every room she was in and gifted in always being able to make everyone she spoke with feel special.
Grace was a devoted mother to Lisa, James and Mara, and the proudest grandmother to Caroline, Thomas, Haley, Mia, Ryan, Evan and Megan. “Nana Grace” was always there for all of them, sharing her positive outlook, homespun yarns of wisdom and thoughtful and caring advice (often unsolicited, though always welcomed).
Grace’s love for children did not stop with her own. Throughout her life, in addition to teaching at St. Gabriel’s, she taught at The Midland School in Rye, Burkburnett in Texas (during Anthony’s time with the Air Force in Wichita Falls) and with the Bedford Central School District. Every once in a while, her family would hear that she ran into a former student at the store, and we know from those stories that she made a generation of students feel cared for and special.
She and Anthony and their entire family cherished summers at their home in Sag Harbor. From counting the days in June until it was time to head out for the season, through enjoying dusk on Long Beach as the nights slowly turned chilly and Labor Day approached, Sag Harbor summers were the highlight of the year. And when children (of any age) were around, ice cream at the Big Olaf followed a day in the sun.
She loved dogs, who knew that treats were on the way when they saw her car approach. And she really loved the New York Yankees (whether they were winning or losing), never missing the chance to see Michael Kay on YES and hear John Sterling on the radio.
A devout Catholic, Grace was an active parishioner at St Patrick’s in Bedford and St. Andrew’s in Sag Harbor. And after COVID, they somehow got the home technology to work well enough to regularly attend Mass via Zoom.
Grace leaves behind her husband, Anthony; her children, Lisa (Robert) Madigan of Pawleys Island, S.C., Mara (Matthew) Herman of Larchmont, and James (Britt) Bardinelli of Newton, Mass; as well as her grandchildren, Caroline, Thomas and Megan Madigan, Haley and Ryan Herman and Mia and Evan Bardinelli. She is also survived by her sister, Julie (Patrick) McGinley, of Remsenburg, N.Y. and brother Thomas Imperato of Sacramento, Calif.
Words can’t describe how much we will miss Grace, but we are comforted thinking of the many years of smiling memories and knowing that heaven has gained another angel.
A funeral mass was held at St. Patrick’s Church in Bedford on Monday, Sept. 10. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that remembrances be made in the form of a contribution to a fund created in Grace’s memory at Stepinac High School in White Plains or to a charitable organization of their choosing.
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