Grace “Gracie” Anita Stoll Smith, age 93, passed away peacefully on Friday, November 8, 2019 at Samaritan Village in Hughson, CA.
She was born in Vega, South Dakota to Howard and Venita Stoll on August 5, 1926. Gracie met her husband, Richard C. Smith, during World War II while she was working in Sioux Falls, SD. They married in 1946 in Waterford, CA. She also resided in Modesto, Sierra Village, Sonora and Hughson.
Gracie had a marvelous zest for life and travelled the world. She was truly adventurous, from hiking the mountains of Peru to zip lining the jungles of Costa Rica. She also had a passion for the theater and spent many years ushering plays at Sierra Repertory Theater and Fallon House. An avid volunteer, she donated her time at Memorial Hospital in Modesto and Tuolumne County Health Dept. in Sonora. She loved good food, white wine, traveling, shopping, socializing at the farmers market and playing bingo.
Gracie was very proud of her family. She’s survived by her children: Anita Flood (Patrick) of Delhi, Wayne Smith (Debra) of El Dorado Hills, Ilene Bernier (Gary) of Modesto, Ellen Smith of Sonora, and Glenn Smith of Bayview, Idaho. She adored her grandchildren: Sarah Grantano, Amanda Antis, Emily Anderson, Riley Flood, Frankie Dow, Kyle Smith, Shelby Smith, Carrie Cheney, Benjamin Cox, Jodie Boyd, Jesse Boyd, Wyatt Boyd, Aaron Burnett, Walter Leyva, Amber Smith, Nate Cheney, Brian Cheney and Katy Cheney; her great-grandchildren: Ashley Ramaley, Zachary Ramaley, Jossalyn Antis, Brienna Antis, Trey Antis, Charlotte Anderson, Penelope Flood, Alyssa Calaway, Samuel Boyd, Natalya Boyd, and Issac Yazzie; and her great-great grandchildren Emma Calaway and Benjamin Boyd. She was preceded in death by her parents and brothers Lyal and Bernard (Pud) Stoll and survived by her siblings William Stoll, Joyce Schoenfelder and Louise Stanton.
Gracie’s funeral will take place at St. Francis Episcopal Church, 915 E. Main St., Turlock on Sunday, November 17 at 1 PM. Reception to follow in the fellowship hall. Private burial will be at Mt. Shadow Cemetery in Sonora, CA. Remembrances may be sent to community hospice.
