Grace passed away into the arms of her Lord on Jan. 13, 2024, at her home in Yelm, Washington, surrounded by her husband and two sons.
Grace was born on March 20, 1940, to Albert and Emma (Knutson) Johnson in Ulen, Minnesota. She was the eighth of nine children. Grace graduated from Twin Valley High School and got her first taste of the Pacific Northwest when she and her best friend traveled to Bellingham after graduation. Upon returning to Minnesota, Grace held positions in health care and office administration. She eventually moved to California where she met her future husband, Charles Dvorak. After a brief courtship, they were married. Since Charles was in the Navy, Grace ended up living in Adak, Alaska, Oxnard, California, Germantown, Maryland, before finally settling down in Bellingham, Washington. Along the way, the couple welcomed two sons, Jeffery “Jeff” and Glen “Rich,” and a daughter, Melynda.
Grace was an active member of Assumption Church until moving to Yelm in 2008. She had countless fond memories of her time at Assumption and the people she met and worked with there. Grace was a talented seamstress who also enjoyed knitting and crocheting. She was very proud of her Scandinavian heritage and always made lefse for family during the holidays. She was a voracious reader, had a lifelong love of learning and thoroughly enjoyed sharing puns and “Dad” jokes with her friends and family. Grace joined the congregation of St. Columban’s in Yelm in 2008 and met new friends there while volunteering. She helped make the yearly community Thanksgiving meal, helped with accounting and was a member of the women’s club.
She was preceded in death by her four brothers, four sisters and daughter, Melynda T Dvorak.
She is survived by her husband, Charles; sons, Jeff (Pamela) and Rich; and two grandchildren, Anna-Grace and Charles “Charlie.”
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, Jan. 25 at 11 a.m. at St. Columban Catholic Church in Yelm. The reception is to be held in the parish hall following her funeral. She will be laid to rest at Greenacres Memorial Park in Ferndale, Washington, Friday, Feb. 2 at 2 p.m.
Please share memories at www.westfordfuneralhome.com.
