Audrey F. Grava

Audrey F. Grava, of East Haven, formerly of Chicago, Ill. died on June 9 at Yale New Haven Hospital St. Raphael Campus. She was born in New Haven, Conn., on Oct. 30,1929 and lived in Westville for many years before relocating to Chicago in 1988, with her husband, the late Donald W. Grava, Sr. Audrey and Donald, a New Haven school administrator, were married for more than 50 years. Together they owned and operated William’s Paint and Hardware Stores in New Haven. Audrey attended State Teacher’s College, now Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven and received her teacher’s certificate from Central Connecticut State University. She served two terms as president of the Jayceettes [women’s auxiliary of the New Haven Jaycees] and was president of the board of her condominium association at Marina Towers in Chicago. Her apartment in the landmark building, which was designed by Bertrand Goldberg, was featured at the Chicago Art Institute when the building’s 50th anniversary was commemorated. Audrey and her husband Donald were avid sailors and had been members of the Montrose Yacht Club in Chicago. Audrey, a talented seamstress, crafter, knitter and crochet artist, also taught home economics at Wilbur Cross and Lee High Schools in New Haven for 11 years. Audrey’s life spanned almost 94 years; consequently, Audrey saw major changes to the world including the inventions of the first electric refrigerator, TV, scotch tape, and the internet. She was also very mechanical, being able to repair various machinery including a washing machine. While she would never call herself one, Audrey was a technophile owning the first in-home microwave in the state of Connecticut. Later in life and until her passing, she was always up to date on technology, including buying her groceries, clothing, and other items online and always owned the latest iPhone and Mac computer. She had four children. Karen (Robert M. Luby, Jr.) of Wallingford; Donald W. Grava, Jr. of Tampa, Fla.; Jeffrey of Carson City, Nev.; and Derrick (Joan) of Kiawah Island, S.C. She had 10 grandchildren, Jacob Williams (Samantha) of Portland, Conn.; Colby Jones (Richard) of Mt. Pleasant, S.C.; Tatiana (Michael) Makivic, of Cookeville, Tenn.; Brigitte Grava of Tampa, Fla.; Tofani (Peter) Cha of San Diego, Calif.; Anais, of France; Nicholas (Kwanda), of West Lafayette, Ind.; Christopher, of Germany; Leo and Scarlett of Mill Valley, Calif. She also had four great- grandchildren, James Audrey Jones, Ella and Harper Cha, and Ivan Makivic. She was the daughter of the late Jean Arpaia Florio and Carl J. Florio and sister to the late Sherry Russo and Barbara Graham of Ottawa Canada. Services were private. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Salvation Army.

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