- Date Of Death: July 25, 2007
- State: Connecticut
Mary Ulizio Grande, 101, of Westerly, R.I. and Hamden, CT. entered into peaceful eternal rest at her home on July 25, 2007. She was the widow of Carlo H. Grande. Born in New Haven on Palm Sunday, April 16, 1906, she was christened Palma Maria Ulizio, daughter of the late Antonio and Francesca Zullo Ulizio. She graduated from Hillhouse High School and the former Arnold College, and studied at Columbia University. She was a member of the legendary Radio City Music Hall Rockettes dancing troupe and was recreational director at the New York Boys Club. Mrs. Grande taught school for more than 50 years, including 40 years with the New Haven school system, rising to the position of Supervisor of Physical Education. She retired in 1970. With her lifelong friend, Ellen L. Celentano, she originated and directed the “Harvest Festival Committee” in the 1950’s. This involved all area high schools and included an elaborate Pageant at Yale Bowl. With Pat Morro, she established the after school recreation program at Trowbridge Recreation Center, which produced some of New Haven’s finest young athletes. She was the first to establish a summer recreational playground program for the New Haven Dept. of Parks & Recreation and ran that program for many years, presenting many historical pageants on the New Haven Green during the 1950’s & 1960’s. The recipient of numerous awards from local organizations, she was active for many years in the Mayor’s New Haven Columbus Day Committee, the Italian American Society, the Hamden Republican Women’s Club, and was the first secretary of the inaugural Walter Camp Football Foundation Committee. She was a member of the Governor’s Committee on Physical Fitness under Gov.
