Grace attended a one-room school with her dad as teacher. She graduated from University of Manitoba with a BA in English in 1967 and an education degree in 1968. At InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, she met Peter and they married. She taught Grades 5–7 for 3.5 years. Grace was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1972. She remained an involved mother and homemaker with creative hobbies and a busy social life. She was an active member of her church and community, welcoming newcomers to Winnipeg with Welcome Wagon and studying accounting at Red River Community College. Grace worked 9 years at Hull’s Family Bookstore. She never lost her contagious passion for learning and literature, even after she could no longer read independently. Grace took what life handed her without complaining. While she didn’t allow MS to define her, she inspired many to support MS research: her Intrepid Walkers team was one of the top 10 MS Walk fundraisers. A loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, and grandmother, she expressed pride in every family member and welcomed in-laws with open arms. After her parents and sisters moved away, she wrote letters, sent care packages, and kept family connections strong. Few entered her orbit without receiving the offer of friendship: hairdressers, university students, homecare workers, bus drivers, children, refugees, co-workers. Until her final breath, she continued bringing people together in her hospital room. A feisty, passionate, curious woman of integrity, she loved sharing a joke or mischievous moment, such as adding salt to her parents’ sugar bowl or throwing pyrotechnic potatoes from a speeding car. Grace and Peter were a tremendous team.
