Shrewsbury – Girolamo “Jerry” Grande, 94, a lifelong, Shrewsbury resident and 19-year retired Shrewsbury firefighter, passed away peacefully Wednesday, March 23, 2016 with family gathered beside him.
Jerry was born in Shrewsbury, a son of Italian immigrants Nicola and Elizabeth (Preziosa) Grande. A member of the “Greatest Generation,” He joined the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II, serving proudly in the South Pacific as part of the First Marine Division. He participated in action against the enemy at Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, Cape Glouster and New Britain.
When the Korean Conflict broke out, Jerry was recalled to duty. Upon his discharge, he returned to Shrewsbury to the family business Grande’s Market and GE Telecron for a time before being appointed as firefighter for the town of Shrewsbury, protecting the residents 19 years before retiring. He continued to follow his two loves, the Shrewsbury Fire Department and the U.S. Marine Corps.
Jerry is survived by his devoted son, Gerald N. “Jerry” Grande of Shrewsbury; his grandchildren, Natasha E. Miller-Maunsell, Richard E. Miller, and Lauren E. Grande; three great-grandchildren, Bridget, Kiera, and Silas; his former daughter-in-law, Diane Grande; a brother, John Grande and his wife Mona; and nieces, nephews, extended family, and friends. His daughter, Elizabeth “Betty Ann” Miller, passed away in 1975; and a sister, Teresa J. McCann and her husband William, also predeceased him.
Jerry was a member of St Anne’s Church, the Shrewsbury Fire and Relief Association, and the Retired State County and Municipal Employees Association. He was a licensed private pilot and enjoyed the peace of flying on a bright sunny day.
Friends and relatives are invited to a period of calling hours Monday, March 28, from 9-10:30 a.m., in the Mercadante Funeral Home & Chapel, 370 Plantation St., Worcester, followed by a procession to St Anne’s Church, 170 Boston Tpke., where his funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Burial with Marine Corps Honors will follow in Mountain View Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial remembrances in his name can be made to the Shrewsbury Fire and Relief Association, P.O. Box 275, Shrewsbury, MA 01545.
