Grace D. Ventresca

Grace D (D'Elia) Ventresca, 91, passed away peacefully on Wednesday March 9th at Shrewsbury Nursing Home and Rehabilitation following a short illness. She was predeceased by her husband Joseph who was her cherished partner for 66 years. She leaves her daughter, Joann Ventresca Iacaboni and her husband Vincent J. Iacaboni of Jackson, Mississippi; three sisters, Mary Silvestry of Westboro, Angelina Pepin and Lucy Hamilton both of Worcester. She also leaves three grandchildren, Kristina Iacaboni Cutrer (Kenneth), of MS. Marc D. Iacaboni of OK and Darcy Fletcher Messineo (Stephen) of Shrewsbury. She leaves six great grandchildren, Olivia and Grace Iacaboni and their mother Kedrin of TX, Nicholas, Zachary, and Madilyn Messineo of Shrewsbury and Christopher Cutrer of MS. She also leaves many nieces and nephews. Her daughter Evelyn Fletcher Moore grandson Vincent J Iacaboni Jr. brothers Joseph D'Elia and Alfred D'Elia and sister Rose Sachetto predeceased her. Grace graduated from Commerce High School in Worcester and worked as a seamstress until she retired from Davey's Bags in 1981. She was a member of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Worcester and then St. Mary's Church in Shrewsbury. Since the time of her husband Joe's passing, those that knew her have realized that she was "Amazing Grace". She was legally blind for twenty years and following Joe's passing she decided that she would continue to live on her own for as long as she could care for herself and she did up until one week prior to her passing. She attributed this success to the assistance of the Commission for the Blind, her caregiver Trish Gould, her neighbors of 50 years Ruth and Paul Kozakevich and her niece Luann Fox. She also could not have done it without the daily phone calls from all of her friends and family who loved her so dearly. Grace was fortunate to have celebrated her 91st birthday last year with 54 D' Elia descendants in attendance. As the matriarch of the family, Grace truly appreciated this surprise with four generations by her side. The funeral will be held on Saturday, March 12th from The MERCADANTE FUNERAL HOME & CHAPEL 370 Plantation St. Worcester with a Mass of Christian burial at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary's Church, 640 Main St. Shrewsbury. Burial will be in St. John's Cemetery in Worcester. Friends and relatives are invited to visit with the family from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 12th in the funeral home prior to the funeral. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Commission for the Blind 390 Main St. Suite #625, 390 Main St. Worcester, MA.01608.