Christine Grace

The world was blessed to receive Christine Grace on March 11th, 1954. She was the second of five children born to proud parents Elder Cornell and Barbara McDaniels at Mary Hague Maternity Hospital in Jersey City, New Jersey. Raised in a family that loved the Lord, she accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior at an early age. At just eighteen months, Christine was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia, but was blessed to live her childhood asymptomatically until the age of twelve. True to her fighting spirit, she never let the disease slow her down. She received her formal education from the Jersey City School District, graduating from Snyder High School in 1972.

Christine loved life and enjoyed living! With a prognosis from her physicians that she would not live past the age of 21, she set out to defy the odds and explore all that life had to offer. She took an opportunity to expand her horizons and traveled abroad to the Philippines. Not long after she returned, her tenacious spirit led her, and her sister Evonne, to join their brother Cornell in sunny San Diego in 1977. Soon thereafter, Christine met Nathaniel Barnett whom she married in 1978. Against medical advice, but according to her faith, Christine prayed for children and God answered! Two miracles were born from this union, her daughters Tiffany and Crystal.

While establishing a new life in San Diego, Christine could be found working as an assistant to the director at the Sickle Cell Foundation of California. With a love for the arts, and a knack for making others laugh, she enjoyed taking acting classes at the local community college, and often performing during amateur night at comedy clubs. Using her many God-given gifts, Christine's entrepreneurial spirit led her to create two businesses: Heavenly Apparel, a clothing line that included scriptures and inspirational messages such as "Jesus Loves Me," and a soul food catering service. Despite her many accomplishments, her greatest joy came from being a mother, and she devoted herself fully to raising her daughters.

If there was one thing to be known about Christine - it was that she truly, truly loved The Lord! Her love for people and servant’s heart made her an active member of Mt. Olive Church of God in Christ. Christine faithfully served as a Missionary, led the Sunshine Band, and established the Children’s Church ministry. She was also a well-known and highly requested speaker.

After many years of service at Mt. Olive, The Lord saw fit to bless Christine once again by sending Elder Robert Grace into her life. They married on August 21, 2001. Together, they enjoyed life, laughs, and love. In 2006, Christine and Robert relocated to Dallas, Texas to join her youngest daughter Crystal. Tiffany soon followed, and the family was happily back together.

Despite the progression of her medical condition, Christine continued to serve others in a variety of ways including producing a musical night for her local church. Christine was also led by God to create “I Am My Sister’s Keeper” - a support group for women to inspire, pray for, and uplift one another.

After a long, hard-fought battle with sickle cell anemia, the sun set on Christine Grace’s life on Sunday, January 10, 2016. She is preceded in home going by her father, Elder Cornell McDaniels of Oceanside, CA; one sister, Evonne McDaniels of Jersey City, NJ; and one brother, Glenn McDaniels of Jersey City, NJ.

Christine is survived by her loving husband, Elder Robert Grace of Frisco, TX and their five children Jonathan Grace (Dagmar) of Copenhagen, Denmark, Matthew Grace of Dallas, TX, Tiffany McGowen (Lonnie) of McKinney, TX, Rachel Grace of San Francisco, CA, and Crystal Barnett of Dallas, TX; one granddaughter Aviva Grace of Copenhagen, Denmark; her mother, Barbara McDaniels of Oceanside, CA; her three brothers, Cornell McDaniels (Mary) of San Diego, CA, Robert McDaniels (Yuko) of Vallejo, CA, and Kevin Taylor (Keisha) of Jersey City, NJ; one sister April Taylor of Atlanta, GA; one uncle, and a host of aunts, cousins, nieces, nephews, family and friends.

Christine will be best remembered for her timeless beauty and class, unbridled love for The Lord, her love for people, her sense of humor, and her fighting spirit. She touched everyone she met in a unique and different way. We are all blessed to have had the privilege of knowing her. For to know her was to love her.