Published in the December 3, 2020 edition.
WAKEFIELD — Christine M. McGrail, a lifelong Wakefield resident, died on November 27, 2020.
She was the devoted wife to Richard J. McGrail until his death in 1995 and the loving mother to Attorney Brian McGrail and his wife Melissa of Wakefield, Christine Marshall and her husband Laurence of Farmington Hills, Michigan, Dr. Kevin McGrail and his wife Lisa of McLean, Virginia, Attorney Stephen McGrail and his wife Virginia of Gloucester, Catherine Connolly and her husband Jay of Newburyport and R. Thomas McGrail and his wife Sandra of Naples, Florida.
She was the proud and very much-loved nana to Richard McGrail, Lily McGrail, Kyle McGrail, Tyler McGrail, Kendra Singleton, Rebecca Riley, Mark McGrail, Kate McGrail, Michael McGrail, Meghan Fredette, Caitlin Hogan, Jennifer Logan, Shawn McGrail, and Kim McKenna. She also leaves behind many loving great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and friends.
Christine, the daughter of the late Domenico and Anna DeVita and sister to Louise Regnante of Lynnfield and the late Anna Lusardi, was born and resided in Wakefield her entire life. Her parents fostered her taste for art and culture through their family-owned greenhouse business, DeVita Conservatories, filling the Boston area with beautiful blooms – especially carnations. Christine’s upbringing served her well to establish herself as an intelligent and independent woman. She proudly graduated as the valedictorian of the Wakefield High School Class of 1948, an honor of which her family spoke of often, and continued her education to receive her secretarial degree at Katharine Gibbs Secretarial School. She proceeded to work first for Proctor Cook & Co. in Boston, and then at Arthur D. Little, Inc. in Cambridge as an executive secretary.
She would board the train to Boston dressed to the nines in her hat and white gloves, epitomizing the spirit of the young independent working woman of the time.
Christine’s greatest love and joy in life, however, was her family. She met the love of her life, Richard McGrail, at church after he complimented her on her beautiful complexion and the rest, they say, is history. They married in 1955 and spent a joyous 40 years together socially and politically active in Wakefield and enjoying their children and grandchildren until his death in 1995.
Christine spent the remainder of her life fully devoted to her children and grandchildren. Whether it be cheering them on at sporting events, shopping together in downtown Boston, enjoying warm family dinners at the holidays, or having long phone conversations, Nana was always there with endless love, wisdom, and guidance. She is so very missed by her family she leaves behind. Her strong will, kindhearted spirit and fervor for life will always live on inside of them.
A private family ceremony will be held in honor of Christine at the McDonald Funeral Home in Wakefield on Saturday, December 5. In lieu of flowers, the family asks memorial contributions, in the name of Christine McGrail, be made to the Wakefield Food Pantry via https://wakefieldfoodpantry.org or Wakefield Food Pantry PO Box 1624 Wakefield, MA 01880.
