Obituaries

Grace Elizabeth Gergela

Grace Elizabeth Gergela, 82, passed away Nov. 14, 2018, at Aston Gardens at the Courtyards in Sun City Center, Fla.

Grace, affectionately known as Betty, was born to Elizur and Grace Hills and raised in the Bronx, where she attended the prestigious Hunter College High School in Manhattan before moving to Riverhead when she was 16 years old. Betty graduated from Riverhead High School in 1953, married her spouse, Joseph, shortly after, and raised five children while working very hard alongside her husband on the family potato and vegetable farm.

After the farm was sold, Betty worked at Eastern Suffolk BOCES as an account clerk until retirement.

In 2010 Betty relocated to sunny Florida, where she met many new friends. She loved traveling, and connected easily with others. Betty was extremely talented and had many interests, including gardening, cooking, scrapbooking, attending plays, reading, and arts and crafts, including mosaics and stained glass.

Predeceased by her husband, Joseph Gergela, and her daughter, Joanne Smith, and her siblings, Edith and Larry, she is survived by her sons, Joseph (Donna) of Boynton Beach, Fla.; Douglas (Theresa) of Palm Coast, Fla.; and John (Debora) of Middle Island; her daughter, Cynthia (John Kistner) of Morrill, Maine; her grandchildren, Jessica, Elizabeth, Jonathan, and Joanna; and her great-grandchildren, Ben, Jack, Nathan, Grayson and Cayden. She also leaves two siblings, Edward Hills and Virginia O’Rourke, as well as several nieces and nephews.

The family would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank you” to the staff at Aston Gardens and Lifepath Hospice.

Betty was cremated and, at her request, her ashes will be buried alongside her husband and her daughter in St. John the Evangelist Cemetery in Riverhead.

This is a paid notice.