Obituary of Grace A. Schultz
Piscataway – Grace A. Schultz, 88, passed away Friday, May 12, 2023 at St. Peters University Hospital in New Brunswick, surrounded by her family.
Daughter of Grace (nee Curatola) and Joseph Piscopo, she was born and raised in Staten Island amongst a large Italian family including sisters Teresa, Elizabeth Brown, known to the family as Bettina, and Maryann Pinto all now deceased.
Grace moved to Piscataway in 1961 with the love of her life; John and a growing family. She always possessed an unending passion for knowledge and reading. She found a perfect fit in her job at the John F. Kennedy Library. Grace was able to nurture her love of books of all genres while assisting patrons of all ages with research or school projects or just discover their own love of various authors. Grace had a continual passion for education and love of the arts and believed “you should learn something new every day.”
With her love of history and geography she began what would become very extensive travels throughout Europe. She also enjoyed re-discovering the wonders of the U.S. including Hawaii and Alaska. She enjoyed these varied journeys first with her husband, then her children. She traveled extensively also with her beloved sister Bettina and her sister-in-law Grace and brother-in-law Tom.
She loved time spent at the Shore or in Atlantic City or Los Vegas with her son John. Her life-long love and legendary knowledge of the NY Yankees was instilled at an early age by her father. She watched or attended games whenever she could, and even frequently attending spring training in Florida.
Whether called Mom, Aunt Grace, Big Mama, Tutu, Grandma or G.G., she was the true matriarch of our family. A lover of stories, she recalled and retold stories spanning multiple generations of family history, a tradition we will carry into the future. Her lovely kind words and voice will surround us always, and on our darkest days remember, “This too shall pass”.
Predeceased by her husband, John Schultz; surviving are her four children, Joanne Cermele and husband Joel, Susan Gere, Kenneth Schultz and finance Amy D’Alonzo, and John Schultz. She will also be missed by her grandchildren, Jeremy Turton Gere, Matthew Gere, Kristen Cermele and her husband Steven Oliver, Nicholas Cermele, Katherine and Erin Schultz and great grandson, J.J. Turton.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, May 19, 2023 at 9:30am in the Piscataway Funeral Home, 18 Stelton Road, Piscataway NJ 08854 followed by burial in Resurrection Burial Park, Piscataway.
Family and friends may gather in the funeral home on Thursday from 5-8PM.
It would have pleased Grace to have donations in her memory made to Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital or through an honor donation to Little Free Library a nonprofit organization inspiring communities and readers.