Grace T. Gizze

Grace T. Gizze, age 93, died peacefully on March 11, 2017 at Clapp's Convalescent Nursing Home in Asheboro, North Carolina, after a brief struggle with pneumonia following a stroke. Grace was born May 11, 1923, in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of John B. Gizze I and Margaret Giasi Gizze. In 1954, Grace married Aniello (Andy) DiDona, shortly after that moving from Brooklyn to their long time residence in Rosedale, Queens. She relocated to Port St. Lucie, Florida, in 1990 to live with her son, Joseph, eventually relocating in 1996 to Asheboro, North Carolina. Grace thoroughly enjoyed crafting, drawing and especially cooking many wonderful meals for her family. Prior to retiring, Grace worked as a cook in New York for many years. Always one to help others, she volunteered on many occasions to a variety of causes, examples of which being her knitting wool caps for newborn infants and tutoring at the after-school tutoring program at Saint Joseph Church in Asheboro, where she tutored Hispanic kindergarteners. Grace pursued many of these activities up until the very end of her life. Grace was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Asheboro and a member of the church's Ladies Guild for many years. Grace is preceded in death by her sisters Margaret Gizze, Marie Gizze, Victoria Fischetti and husband Jim, Frances Maricondo and husband Sylvester and her brothers Thomas Gizze, Carmine Gizze and wife Helen, Walter Gizze and wife Jeanie, Leonard Patton and wife Louise and John Gizze and wife Dorothy (Dottie). She is survived by sons Edward (Eddy) DiDona and his wife Louise of Cary, Joseph (Joey) DiDona and his wife Margaret (Margie) of Asheboro, grandsons Shane DiDona and Douglas (Dougie) DiDona of Asheboro and granddaughter Madeline (Maddie) Marra of Cary. Grace was a member of a very large family with many nieces and nephews and will be sorely missed. She had a special relationship with her niece Rita Maricondo Landry, who she described as her "best friend". There will be a service on Saturday, March 18, 2017 at 2:00 pm at Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Asheboro. Plans are for her to be interred at a later date in Saint Charles Cemetery in Long Island, New York. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be sent in her name to St. Joseph Catholic Church Building Fund, 512 W. Wainman Ave. Asheboro, NC 27203. .