Burdette Maurice Gratton

Burdette Maurice "Brad" Gratton, 84, passed away on September 11, 2022. Born in Glens Falls, NY, Burdette left home for New York City in his late teens, loved his many years of college and his volunteer work for various college Catholic organizations (including bus tours to support the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s). Later that decade, he met the love of his life, Jeanette Yaremchek, with whom he would have four children and many beloved grandchildren. They settled on Long Island and he, for a long time, commuted to New York City for his work at NYSIF, where he was also a union shop steward. All along, he loved to travel via Amtrak and had a passion for cooking--making often meals first taught to him by his aunt Eugenia--and the opera, light opera, and classical performances, all of which he helped through financial support. He made danish and english muffins on the holidays and major meals for events big and small (traditions he passed along to his children), all hopefully ending in the evening with a single martini. He was the proudest grandfather, living by the dictum that they could do no wrong.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Jeanette Gratton and brother, Eugene "Bud" Allen.

Brad leaves to cherish his memories, his children, Erica Gratton, Adam (Aldith "Mickey") Gratton, Peter (Jennifer Kester) Gratton and John Gratton; grandchildren, Michael Gratton-Vazquez, Brad Gratton, Tyler Gratton, Ashton Gratton, Joshua Gratton and Cameron Gratton and extended beloved family members.

A Funeral Mass for Brad will be Friday, September 16, 2022, at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, 25 Ocean Avenue, Center Moriches, NY, beginning at 10:45am.

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