Grace Alice Holdsworth Tindall

Grace Alice was born in Buck Grove, Iowa, on February 5, 1922, to Ed and Emma Holdsworth. She was the second of siblings Helen, Eddie, John and Melvin. At the age of four, Grace started elementary school with her older sister. They graduated together from Tennant High School in 1939. Since the family business was farming, Grace stayed on as a hired hand for five more years. She then moved to Council Bluffs to work for Safeway where she met Ray McColl whom she married in 1945. They had two children, Eleanor and Lee, while still living in Council Bluffs. In 1951 they moved to Tigard, Oregon. After working for six months as a typist in a local office complex, Grace applied for a position as a mail carrier in Tigard. After easily passing the federal exam, she got the position only through political appointment since no woman had ever been a mail carrier within the state of Oregon up to that point in time. In 1953 a second son, Lynn, was born to Grace and Ray. Six months later the couple divorced. Grace continued to work for the postal service and raised the children on her own. In 1955 she married Vernon Shattuck but the marriage ended less than six years later. On August 26, 1967, Grace married one of the patrons from her mail route, Herbert Grant Tindall. Fortunately this was the match made in heaven for each of them. They enjoyed camping, fishing, travelling and spending time with their children and grandchildren. After 33 years as a rural carrier, Grace retired in 1985 to take care of Herb who had contracted multiple sclerosis at the age of 54. She cared for him at home until September, 1999, when the severity of his illness required that he move to King City Convalescent Center. Grace visited him twice a day and would spend a couple of hours each time with him. In November of 2000, Grace sold her home and moved in with her daughter and son-in-law in Tualatin. This was less than a mile away from Herb so her visitations continued. Herb passed away on June 26th, 2001, at the age of 75. Grace continued to independently enjoy activities and friends until 2007 when the onset of dementia and an injury required that she no longer could drive. Much of her time after that was spent doing word puzzles, watching TV and observing the many activities at Hazelbrook Middle School. On June 11th Grace fell and severely broke her hip. Due to age and other medical complications surgery was not an option. Grace was extremely strong willed and managed to survive until June 26th, 2011, exactly ten years after Herb passed away.....almost to the minute.