Cecilia Grasing

Cecilia ‘Sally” Margaret O'Brien was born to loving parents on June 9, 1929 in New York City. Her father

owned a fish store and was later a butcher working for Swift company. We believe that her mother was a

homemaker. She had a challenging early life, losing her mother, father, and three siblings by the time she was

a teenager. This included the loss of her brother Francis, a merchant marine whose ship was sunk while

crossing the Atlantic during World War II. Sally was strong and resilient from a young age. She maintained a

positive outlook despite losing various family members. Pictures from that era show a young smiling girl.

Initially Sally lived with her grandmother, Ellen O'Halloran on West 90th Street. She and her sister Annie were

later placed in a sanatorium because of a medical condition. Even so, there were stories of the pair roller

skating and exploring Central Park in New York City. They enjoyed the park’s Castle and the adjacent

Museum of Natural History. Later she worked as an administrative assistant for the city of New York on 125

Worth Street.

Sally met her future husband Donald James Grasing at the wedding of his brother Tom to her cousin Helen. It

was a magical night, with Don walking her home from Chelsea in New York. The journey home included a

trolley ride and walking for 50 city blocks.

After Don returned from military service they were married in 1953. Thanks to Sally's connections, they moved

into Stuyvesant Town on 14th Street in New York City. Their rent was $25 per month, described as

outrageous and ‘crazy’ at the time. They had three sons, all of whom enjoyed living on First Avenue. Roller

hockey, Catholic school, and mass were staples of city life. Mom taught us to iron shirts for school and to

repair hockey equipment with a sack needle. On weekend days in the summer, we enjoyed the beach at Riis

Park. After years of diligent "house hunting", a new home was found in Oceanside Long Island out in the

"country".

Mom was a reluctant suburbanite. Nonetheless, the couple settled in the vicinity

of Don's brothers; Ed,Tom, Bob, and Ray. They were eventually joined by Don’s sister Edna. Later, Sally

worked for the Village of Rockville Center and learned to drive.  This led to the demise of a dark gold-brown 1969 Buick Skylark. Sally was shaken but

uninjured. She was a talented seamstress, making her own curtains, slip covers, and dresses; as well as

numerous alterations for family and friends. She enjoyed taking care of her family and home.

Sally had a quiet and personal devotion to the Catholic faith. When troubled, she would pray and frequently

had a morning spiritual offering. She very much enjoyed her six grandchildren and exclaimed that she never

saw more lovely children. One was more beautiful than the next! She cared for her husband until the end of

his days. Upon arrival upstairs, she will be happy to see him but may object to his having left early without her!

Mom was fond of all things Irish. Near the end she reported hearing an Irish song that was not heard by

others. She is survived by her three sons Don, Ken, and John; their partners Lisa, Lisa, and Jeannette; and six

grandchildren. She is the matriarch of our family and will be dearly missed!