Bessie (Wilner) Grad, 100

Bessie (Wilner) Grad, 100, formerly of Haverhill, died Monday morning, Nov. 7, at her home in North Andover.

She was born in Haverhill, March 11, 1916, daughter of the late Paul and Bertha (Halpern) Wilner. Educated in the Haverhill school system, Grad graduated from Haverhill High School, class of 1933. She earned her associates degree from Colby Junior College and her bachelor degree in social work from Simmons College. She was a member of Temple Emanu-El, Haverhill, a lifetime member of Hadassah, a member of the board of directors at the Haverhill Girls Club, a member of the Gray Ladies Hale Hospital Auxiliary, Brandeis Jewish Women’s Auxiliary, as well as the National Council of Jewish Women. An active and accomplished Bridge player, Grad played with the same group of women for more than 25 years and also played duplicate bridge with her late husband, Vinson, here and in Hawaii. Grad also enjoyed playing Mahjong and was a longtime member of the Haverhill Golf and Country Club.

She was the wife of the late Vinson W. Grad who died in 1993 and sister of the late Anne (Wilner) Biberman. Her survivors include two sons, Jeffrey S. Grad and his wife Elizabeth of Honolulu, Hawaii, and William L. Grad and his wife Laura of Greenwich, Conn.; four grandchildren, Jonathan Grad and his wife Wendy, Jeremy Grad and his wife Marissa, Benjamin Grad and his wife Patricia, Kimberly Field and her husband Tenny; seven great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend her funeral service  Thursday morning, Nov. 10, at 10, at Temple Emanu-El, 514 Main St., Haverhill. Burial will be in Children of Israel Cemetery, Haverhill. Arrangements are by H.L. Farmer & Sons Funeral Homes, Haverhill and Bradford. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Bessie and Vinson Grad Family Fund, c/o. Temple Emanu-El, 514 Main St., Haverhill, MA 01830, or, Multiple Sclerosis Society of Massachusetts, 101A First Ave., Waltham, MA 02451.