Richard H. Grace, Sr

4/8/1927 – 6/2/2016

Richard H. Grace, Sr, 89, passed away peacefully on Thursday June 2, 2016. He was born and raised in the St. Louis area. He obtained his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Washington University. He met his future wife Ann through mutual acquaintances and they eventually married in 1956. They had three children, Thomas, Amelia (Michael) Lukitsch, and Richard, Jr., (Debbie), and two grandchildren, Matthew and Nicholas. “Bud” was an avid St. Louis Cardinals and Browns fan. He attended Cardinals baseball games in three different stadiums over 80 plus years. He enlisted in the Marines prior to his eighteenth birthday towards the end of WWII, as he said, “To avoid the draft”. After basic training, he boarded the aircraft carrier Ranger July 25, 1945, out of San Diego, heading to Japan via Hawaii. The war ended while en route. Bud was a quiet person, did not generally like to talk about himself, but enjoyed being around people. He had dreams of being a journalist, but shifted his career and became a public school teacher. He taught English and Social Studies to 7^th and 8^th graders at Parkway South Junior High School for over 30 years. During summers, he enjoyed writing short stories, traveling, and the companionship of his wife and family. He struggled after the passing of his wife Ann in January 2014, but family rallied around him and kept him as happy and as healthy as possible. His pet cockatiel bird, Bobby Bird, misses him dearly. Bud sang to his bird every night before bed, “Good Night Sweetheart, Good Night”. He never wanted to be a burden to anyone and tried all his might to hide the development of dementia. During his last couple of months, when he started to struggle with late stage Alzheimer’s disease, with its effects on both mind and body, the family was able to get him to a final Cardinals baseball game on May 1^st. He had been looking forward to this game since Dec. He held his head up high, never conceded to being tired, and lasted for all nine innings!

Bud will be inurned at Jefferson Barracks Cemetery. A memorial service will occur on Monday June 6, with the procession starting no later than 10:00 am. Attendees are asked to arrive by 9:30 am. An Honoring Heroes chaplain, Chaplain d’Arden, will officiate.

The family wishes to thank BJC Hospice for their help, medically and spiritually, through this difficult time. In lieu of flowers, donations to an Alzheimer’s organization or other charity are preferred.