Grace Marcotte (Musci)

Grace Marcotte (Musci), 70, passed away Jan. 25, 2009.

She was born in Akron, Ohio, grew up in North Hill, and attended and graduated from Our Lady of the Elms in 1957. Grace went on to nursing school at St. Joseph's in Newbury, Ohio. With her nursing license in hand, Grace and her best friend Liz traveled across the U.S. in a red '57 convertible Chevy, working in various hospitals along the way. They ended up in Burbank, Calif., in the early 1960's, where Grace met her love, P.J. Marcotte. The two married in Akron, and returned to their home in California where their son Michael was born in 1965, and their daughter Barbara in 1967. When the children were still young, the family moved back to Grace's hometown, where she raised her children among her large extended Italian family. Grace worked in geriatrics for three decades. After contracting stage 4 lung cancer in 1999, Grace received a healing by Saint Pio of Pietrelcina. She was very devoted to Padre Pio, and shared his prayers with many, including family, friends and even those whom she'd just met. Grace asked that a special thank you be extended to her friends in the Thursday Night Supper Club, who provided support, comfort and laughs throughout the years of her illness.

Grace was preceded in death by her parents, Barbara and Paul Musci; husband, P.J.; sister, Fran Santoferraro; and son-in-law, Bill Stefanov. Grace is survived by her eldest son, Michael (Mary Clare Rietz); daughter, Barbara; granddaughter, Francesca; sisters, Mary Seminaroti, Bridget Flasco and Ann Russo; brother, Al Musci; life-long friend, Helen Wise; niece, Rose Gullo; and her beloved Chi Chi.