Rivers Mourns the Loss of Young Alum, Caroline Grape ’18

During her time as a student at Rivers, Caroline excelled in both academics and athletics, and also volunteered her time to tutor younger students. She served as captain of both the track and cross-country teams and was eventually recruited to run at Connecticut College. She also volunteered her time as a teaching assistant and Middle School tutor.

In a note to the Rivers community, Head of School Ned Parsons wrote, “Many of us, I know, remember with great fondness the singing performance she gave in her senior year—a duet of the song Burning House. She sang with confidence and joy, and it was a performance that filled the hearts of all those who knew her.”

Faculty member John Bower, who worked with her on the performance, says he recalls “being absolutely blown away by her talent and poise as a performer. She was nervous to perform in front of an audience, but when they sang that last note, the audience absolutely erupted in applause and cheers. It was a beautiful moment, I think, for Caroline to be on the receiving end of the kind of support and encouragement that she so naturally and inherently showed toward others.”

Another faculty member, Meghan Regan-Loomis, who worked with Caroline in her capacity as an English teaching assistant, recalls that Caroline was adored by the ninth graders she worked with. “She was a talented English student whose continual thoughtfulness and depth found beautiful expression in her writing. Complementing that capacity for meaningful introspection was her gift for connecting with others.”

The funeral service for Caroline will be held on Tuesday, December 17, at 11 a.m. at Trinity Church in Copley Square in Boston, with a reception to follow. Visiting hours will be held the day before, Monday, December 16, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the George F. Doherty Funeral Home at 477 Washington St., in Wellesley, Mass.

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made in memory of Caroline Grape to support Dr. George Demetri’s Sarcoma Research Fund at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284. Please make checks payable to Dana-Farber and include Dr. George Demetri’s Research Fund in the memo section. You may also make a gift online at danafarber.jimmyfund.org/goto/thecarolinefund.

View Caroline's full obituary at https://www.gfdoherty.com/Obituaries.html.