Mary Alice (Ghilardi) Grallo, 96, a longtime resident of Nashua, passed away Friday, February 11, 2022 peacefully in her home surrounded by her loved ones and her 15 year old “baby” daschund Chas.
She is fondly remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and loved spending time with her family and friends. She was a full-time homemaker while raising her children. After that, there was no stopping her! She was a top-producing “Avon Lady” who pedaled her bike throughout the neighborhood for over 15 years. She also was a monitor at Charlotte Avenue school for 25 years, reluctantly retiring at 87 years young! She was generous with both her hugs and the candy in her pockets and was lovingly known as Mrs. “G” to thousands of students. For decades, she was an active member and top fundraiser for the Nashua Senior Activity Center and was a fixture in the Annual Senior Citizens Show singing and dancing in one of her many outrageous costumes every year. She loved her aerobics, dance and yoga up until the age of 94!
She was always active and loved working in her vegetable garden and was raking and mowing her lawn well into her 90’s. And this, from a city gal!
She was born on October 13, 1925, in Boston, MA, the daughter of the late Leo and Catherine Ghilardi and was predeceased by the love of her life, Anthony Grallo, whom she was married to for 50 years. In addition to her parents and husband, she was predeceased by her sister, Emma Stewart and her brothers Leo and John Ghilardi.
Survivors include her daughters and their spouses, Sandra and Jean-Paul Lanctot, Joyce McGrath and her buddies, Paul Young and James Weltzer (Mary’s “adopted” sons) and Linda and Kirk Pomeroy. Her grandchildren include Bruce Lanctot, Paula Gathright, Bret Pomeroy, Brianna Beam as well as two great-grandchildren, Jayla Gathright and Ambrose Beam. She had many nieces and nephews, and she was considered a second Mom by her niece Katey Barbaro and her husband Frank and her nephew Steven Ghilardi.
Mary was also blessed with a second family, Melissa and Al Martin, their daughter Ashleigh and her son Grayson and Allan Jr. and his family.
Mom’s beautiful face, her laughter and her indomitable spirit will always live on through those who were privileged to know and love her. She will always be loved from the moon and back a million times.
Visiting hours will be on Saturday, February 19, 2022, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at the FARWELL FUNERAL HOME, 18 Lock Street, Nashua, followed by a Celebration of Life at Courtyard by Marriott, 2200 Southwood Dr., Nashua, NH 03063. A Funeral Mass will take place on the following Wednesday, February 23, 2022, at 10:00 am at Immaculate Conception Parish, 216 E Dunstable Rd, Nashua, NH 03062. Friends and family are cordially invited to meet directly at the church. Service will be livestreamed starting at 10:00 am www.iccnashuanh.org/media-library Interment to follow at Edgewood Cemetery, 107 Amherst St, Nashua, NH 03064.
In lieu of flowers, for those planning an expression of sympathy, the family asks that donations honoring the life of Mary Grallo be made to Home Health & Hospice Care, 7 Executive Park Drive, Merrimack, NH 03054, Attention: Development or online at www. hhhc.org or to The Nashua Senior Activity Center, 70 Temple St, Nashua, NH 03060. Arrangements are in the care of the FARWELL FUNERAL SERVICE (603) 882-0591. To send an online message of condolence, please visit www.farwellfuneralservice.com
