Grace, William A. “Bill”

Victor – November 12, 2019. Survived by loving wife of 68 years, Dorothea; children, David (Linda) Grace, Karen (Jon) Olderstein, Lori (John) Dygert; 8 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren.

Calling hours, Wednesday 4-6 at the Richard H. Keenan Funeral Home EGYPT LOCATION, 7501 Pittsford Palmyra Road, Fairport where a Service will immediately follow. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to a charity of your choice.

Bill Grace, like everyone was a very unique person.  He always had a great smile and warm hand shake for friend or stranger!

Bill was born on July 31, 1930, to Earl and Edythe Grace. His Mother always said the bills come at the end of the month. He had one brother, Bob, who was 7 years older.  Bill attended Lincoln Park School on the west side of Rochester, went 2 years at Madison High School and when his parents moved to Henrietta,  he transferred to Monroe High School graduating in 1948.  For the next 2 years he was employed at the LoysenPrinting Company.  In November 1950, he enlisted in the Air Force, and was trained as a Link Trainer Instructor and station at Moody Air Base in Valdosta, Ga.

On June 16, 1951, he married his high school sweet heart, Dorothea Steffen, and I went to live with him in Valdosta.  In 1953, he was transferred to Bolling Field in Washington, DC, where he was detached to the Pentagon.

On August 1954, our son, David, was born and in November, Bill, was honorably discharged from the Air Force.   We came back home and settled in Henrietta (later moving to Victor).

After his discharge from the Air Force, he went to work for Rochester Telephone Company.  He was a switchboard repairman walking Main Street to maintain the various business switchboards.  During the 38 years he was employed at Rochester Telephone/Frontier Telephone, he was a repairman, purchasing agent and an instructor.  He was very proud of the Telephone Museum that he helped create that was on display for a few years and is now in storage at the Rochester Museum. 

Our Daughter, Karen, was born in 1957 and along came Lori in 1961.  Our children gave us 8 grandchildren, Christopher, Aaron, Amanda, Lindsey, Matthew, Sarah, Michael, and Stephen. Only Stephen remains in the Rochester area our other Grandchildren have moved to Fort Worth, Galveston,  Buffalo, Cleveland, DC, and Albany.  We now have 8 greatgrand children with 2 more expected. Bill loved repeating their names.  Bill was a great Dad, Grandpa and Great Grandpa.

Bill loved his standard and miniature poodles, after getting their breed titles they were trained for obedience and agility competition.  He is a life member of The Dog Obedience Club of Rochester and taught dog obedience in several locations for several years.  He taught one of his standard poodles, Ben, to spell! He was a life member of the Poodle Club of America and was ground chairmen for their National show for several years.

He loved people, telling jokes and had a good sense of humor, the day before he parted from this earth to live in eternity, I noticed he seemed to be dreaming and I asked him if he was having a night mare and he responded instantly “no, I am having a day horse”.  He always had a witty response. 

He will be greatly missed by his whole family.  He always had a smile for you and a great friendly handshake.  We, who had the honor to call him Husband, Dad, Grandpa, and Great grandpa, are going to miss him every day!  

As your wife for 68 years, I THANK YOU FOR BEING A GREAT HUSBAND AND ROLL MODEL FOR OUR FAMIIY!