Jesse Byron Pace

Jesse grew up in Jonesboro, AK and then later moved to St. Louis, MO. He joined the Navy at the age of 17 and served as a Radio Man for four years. He remembered the morse code for many years.

He married Elaine Pitsios on June 13, 1953 in Jamaica, NY in the St. Demetrius Greek Orthodox Church. On their 50th anniversary they went to see the movie "Big Fat Greek Wedding."

Jesse attended college in Farmingdale, NY under the GI Bill. Jesse, Elaine and their 2 year old son, John lived on campus in housing built for veterans after WWII.

In June of 1957 after graduating, they moved to Hopewell Junction, NY where Jesse worked for IBM in Poughkeepsie where they had two more sons. In 1965 the family moved to Cary and Jesse retired in 1987.

He enjoyed fishing, golf and especially spending time with family at the lake house he built at Kerr Lake.

Jesse is survived by his wife of 67 years, Elaine Pace; sons, John Pace and his wife, Sharon, Jim Pace and Steve Pace; grandchildren, Shawna Kempf and her husband, Tobias, Kieva Pace and her husband, Blake Matthews, Samantha Pace, Brandon Pace and Jenna Pace; great granddaughters, Chloe, Claire and Charlie; sister, Joan Timms; and a brother, James Pace.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to the staff at Sarah Care in Raleigh for their loving care of Jesse during his time spent there. They would also like to express their appreciation for the care he received at Transitions LifeCare in his final days.