Grace Ruth Reedy

Grace Ruth Reedy was born on October 19, 1914 to Dirk J. & Anna P. Renzema. She was born at home, in Springfield South Dakota, the second of seven children. She passed away on May 25, 2014 at Golden Age Adult Family Home in Moses Lake, Washington.

Grace attended Equal Rights Elementary School and graduated from Springfield High-school. After graduating from South Dakota Normal College, she started her long teaching career in South Dakota and continued teaching in Oregon, Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), Africa and retired from teaching in the Moses Lake School District in 1974. Upon retiring, she became very active in the Washington Retired Teachers Association where she was given a state award for outstanding service.

Her family moved to Ashland, Oregon in 1938. While teaching in Elk Creek Oregon she met her future husband, William "Harold" Reedy. They were married on December 15, 1945 at her parents' home in Ashland. A year later, Jerry Wayne was born followed by Karen Jean in 1949 and Linda Kay in 1941.

In 1957, under the auspices of the American Board of the Congregational Church, Grace and family moved to Mt. Silinda, Southern Rhodesia where she and Harold served as educational missionaries, for 5 years.

One of her greatest pleasures was telling detailed stories of her early life in South Dakota, the many experiences she and the family had during their time in Africa and their two month camping journey through Western Europe in 1962. After returning to the United States the family settled in Pendleton, Oregon.

She was a constant support to all of her family, whether it was her brothers, sisters, husband, children, grandchildren or great grandchildren. She was proud of her Dutch ancestry from which her strong determination and fortitude served her well throughout her long life.

Grace is survived by her husband of 68 ? years, Harold (Moses Lake), son Jerry and wife Kristy (Bloomington IL), daughter Karen and husband Ric Sherman (Hermiston OR), daughter Linda and husband Chris Laney (Sprague WA), Grandchildren / Great grandchildren: Tim and Tammie Reedy and children Josiah, Tristan, Alaina and Abigal; Marc and Lisa Reedy and children Ryan and Emily; Gina and Bill Poshard and son Flynn; Seth Reedy and children Braden and Ashlyn; Mairi Reedy; Joel Reedy and children Kameron and Clay; Heather Sherman; Kara Laney; Juliann and Pat Haffey and children Munro and Jameson; Eric Laney. Grace is also survived by two sisters, Frances VanZyl (Corvallis OR) and Doris Laver (Albany OR) and numerous nieces and nephews.

Grace was preceded in death by five brothers, John, Milton, Clarence, Raymond and Orville Renzema and one granddaughter Rachel Christine Reedy Laney.

The family wishes to thank our wonderful longtime caregivers Celia Mabry and Cheri Mauldin for their loving care of our parents, Grace and Harold.

A memorial service will be held at the Moses Lake First Church of the Nazarene, 422 S Balsam, Moses Lake, Washington on Monday, June 2, 2014 at 2:00 PM. Funeral arrangements handled by Danekas Funeral Home, Ritzville, Washington.