Grace Ingrid (Stad) Serota, 7/25/1921-11/20/2020 (a.k.a Darl’, LOML, Gracie, Gracela, G/G, Gram) passed away last Friday in New Jersey, at the age of 99 years young. She was born to Christine and Knud Stad (from Norway) at Brooklyn Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn, New York. She was the beautiful younger sister of the late Andrew and Karl Stad. Grace worked as a secretary for the NYC Board of Education for 32 years. She met and married (Anton) Benjamin Serota in 1939 and was the adored recipient of countless love notes and poems until he passed away after 33 years of marriage in 1972, at the age of 72. Together they had two children, Margaret (Peggy) Carol Serota Caveney and Richard Eric Serota. Grace was blessed to meet Seymour Simonson in 1981. They loved each other deeply and lived together for 9 years; he passed away in 1991. Grace inherited two daughters from this union, Judy and Linda Simonson, whom she remained close with until the day of her passing. Grace spent her later years living by herself in Springfield, NJ, traveling, volunteering for GASP and New Eyes for the Needy, visiting the library, and swimming at the YMCA.

Grace is survived and loved dearly by her grandchildren, Christine Joanna (Caveney) Goldstein and husband Michael; Ryan Benjamin Caveney and wife Anna, and Amy Sue (Arenstein) Jackson and husband Christopher. She will be forever cherished by her great grandchildren Miriya Victoria Caveney, Joseph Simon Jackson, and Brendan Christopher Jackson. Grace was also beloved by many cousins, nieces, and friends across the U.S. and in Norway, who will carry her love and memory with them in her absence.

Contributions to UNICEF in Grace’s memory may be made online at unicefusa.org/tribute, by phone at (800) 367-5437 or by mail at: UNICEF USA 125 Maiden Lane New York, NY 10038. Please request acknowledgment of your gift be sent to RIchard at r.serota@att.net.