Grace E. (Barnes) Black (as reluctant to reveal her middle name as
she was her age) was born
quite awhile ago in Oroville,
Washington to Lafe and Carrie
Barnes in the bedroom of her parents' home. For the record she had her tonsils
removed on the dining room table of the same house and, liking to do things 'at
home', was blessed to be able to pass from this world in her own bedroom in Anchorage, Alaska
on August 13, 2013.

A hopeless romantic, Grace loved to dance, believed she could
defeat the slot machines in Las Vegas and eloped with
the love of her life, Del Black, on Valentine's Day 1945. Their
apple orchard/farm was walking distance to the place Gracie was born and she loved
having a cow and horses in the pasture plus two young daughters, Susan and Diane with
whom to share this idyllic life. But things change. Grace, Del, their two daughters, a nephew and a long
haired cat made the trip to Anchorage, Alaska arriving just before New Year's Eve 1964
with a mattress strapped to the top of their
old Chrysler, a broken spring and a belief in the future. The immediate future turned out
to be the Great Alaskan Earthquake which was likely diminished by the shake up that had
already taken place in Gracie's life.

During World War II, Grace and her sister, Helene owned a string
of dress shops in Washington so it was a
perfect fit for her to seek employment at David Green Furs in Anchorage. She was the pretty blond manager
at the 4th Avenue store where she had a hand in selling, selecting inventory,
modeling, and even held the title of the 'Vulgar Boatman' in one of the more
memorable of their 70's-80's television ads. She claims to be the person who penned
their 'if you don't know furs, know your furrier' slogan.

After retirement,
she and Del loved traveling in their motorhome
to Las Vegas
where Grace would leave
the casino with hands black from too many hours warring with the one armed
bandits.Furs were her vocation but Grace's avocation was drawing and
painting. After retirement she
was able to spend more time behind the easel and thoroughly enjoyed working under the
tutorship of Andrea Sonneborn in her downtown studio where she had two very
successful shows of her work.

Grace was sweet,
loving, albeit, a little mischievous right to the end of her sojourn. She will be
recognized by the staff at the Spenard Village Inn where she was a regular. Cane in hand, she
was quick to notice a good looking man. Members of the Anchorage Senior Citizen
Center will also have fond memories of her.

Grace leaves a devoted and loving Alaskan family. Daughters: Susan
Gose (Terry) and Diane Blacksmith (Craig). Grandchildren Ashley, Britne,
Morgan, and Alexis and four great grand children. She also leaves her niece Nancy Bergh Pollock (Ron)
who felt like a daughter. Great nieces, Liv and Erin Pollock, also shared an
unusual closeness.

In Washington she
leaves niece Patty Key and nephews Gary Bergh, Jeff Bergh and Lance Barnes.
Grace was loved dearly in the final years of her life by a cadre of caregivers who
became so much more than the label. She was preceded in death by her husband Del, a baby son, her
best friend and sister Helene; her brother Bill and her parents.

Visitation for
family and friends will be held Friday, August 23, 2013 from 2-4 P.M. at the
Bergh Chapel in Oroville.

Graveside
services will be held Saturday August 24, 2013 at 11:00 A.M. at the Oroville Riverview Cemetery
with the Reverend Marilyn Wilder officiating.