Elvira G. Avery (nee Grippa), better known as Vera G. Avery, was born in 1921 in what is now known as the Harlem section of New York City.  She is the second youngest of eight siblings (all seven have predeceased Vera).  At a very young age Vera's father died, forcing the family to move to a tenement in the Bronx.  When Vera was fourteen her mother was permanently institutionalized due to schizophrenia.  Despite being essentially orphaned, Vera earned her Bachelor's degree from City University of New York – Hunter College, and her Masters degree from Columbia University.  Her specialty was foreign languages, and particularly Italian.

For a few years shortly after the end of World War II, Vera, in her twenties was employed by the US Government to be a translator in Europe.  In this assignment Vera worked for the US in Great Britain, France, and Italy.  In her spare time, she traveled on her own extensively throughout western and central Europe and north Africa.  After returning to the US, Vera was employed for many years by the Community Service Society of New York (CSSNY).  In the mid-1980s Vera retired from CSSNY and moved to eastern Suffolk County.  In retirement Vera was employed for several years as an editor for the western edition of the Southampton Press.

Vera is a person who especially enjoys classical music.  When she was still mobile, during her 80s and early 90s she also enjoyed attending classes at Stony Brook Southampton University.

Although widowed and without children, Vera has several nieces and nephews, and numerous grand and great-grand nieces and nephews located throughout the US.

A graveside service is planned for August 24th at 11AM at  Most Holy Trinity Cemetery in East Hampton.