Grace Tanner

Mary Grace Tanner, 93, passed peacefully into the arms of the Lord on December 5, 2025, surrounded by her family. Grace was a “depression baby,” born at her aunt’s home in Adams County, Ohio on June 15, 1932. She exemplified love in action as she served and cared for others.

Growing up in Reynoldsburg, Ohio afforded Grace and her siblings summers of playing outdoors and winters of hoping to stay close to the stove in the days before central heat and indoor plumbing. With a mother who worked nights as a nurse, Grace pitched in to help the household run smoothly. Influenced by The Greatest Generation, Grace learned the value of hard work and how to make do even with food rations during WWII. What a treat it was after the war to get enough sugar to make a batch of chocolate fudge! She honed her fudge-making skills all her life - to the delight of her kids and grandkids. As an adult, Grace served others in numerous ways including teaching ESL, delivering Meals on Wheels, transporting disabled members of her church and caring for ill family members. Her life was so marked by service to others that even at ninety years old, she was helping her neighbors in assisted living.

Grace married her high school sweetheart, Clay, in 1952 and began her own home. Like many young couples, military service kept Grace and Clay apart for a time. Their first son, Mike, was born while Clay was serving in the Army in Korea. When Clay’s unit was moved to Hawaii, Grace and Mike joined him there on Oahu. They returned to Ohio in 1955 and lived in Columbus until retiring to Gahanna in 1994. While Clay worked and attended college, Grace worked at the Lazarus department store. After their son Joe and daughter Laura were born, Grace became a full-time homemaker. As members of Karl Road Christian Church, Grace and Clay worshipped and served there for many years.

She was a true creative. A gifted artist, Grace mastered whatever media she was interested in, from oil portraits and watercolor landscapes to sculptured ceramics and textile projects. There seemed to be no art or craft she couldn’t do. Grace’s love of growing flowers inspired her art and often resulted in beautiful hand painted greeting cards. She gave generously of her talent and blessed many with gifts she had made just for them. Grace enjoyed coaching family members on creative techniques they pursued, helping them to find joy in artistic expression just as she had done.

Grace had a deep and abiding faith in God and wanted nothing more than for her family to love Jesus and one another. Having her family under one roof for meals or holiday celebrations was among her greatest joys on earth. Grace used to say she never got to know her own grandmothers, so she didn’t know how to be one, but the reality was that she was the best possible kind of grandmother - she appreciated her adult children as individuals and as parents, loved them, their children and grandchildren unconditionally, and was sincerely interested in their lives. Although she was engaged with the issues of the day and known for having definite opinions at times, she never wanted that to come between her and a loved one. Remaining connected to her children and their families was a priority and she continued her traditions of weekend calls and visits with them as much as possible.

Grace has left a legacy of love and faith that carries on in her family, all of whom are forever grateful. Though she will be deeply missed, her life serves as a sweet and lasting example of love.

Grace was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 58 years, Clay, and her brother Fred Graham. Left to honor and remember her in love are her three children, Michael (DiAnne) Tanner, Joseph (Donna) Tanner, and Laura (Mark) Leitnick; grandchildren Daniel Leitnick, Sarah (Scott) Boone, Stephen (Laura) Leitnick, David (Jessica) Ross, Debi Ross, Nicholas Tanner, and Katherine (Noah Hollyfield) Tanner; great-grandchildren Aiden Leitnick, Gavin Leitnick, Matthew Ross, Judah Boone, Madison Ross, Emma Boone, Joel Ross and Avery Leitnick; and sister Lucia Sims.

A visitation will take place on Friday, December 12 at Schoedinger Margarum Northeast, 1051 E. Johnstown Rd, Gahanna, OH, 43230, from 12:00pm – 1:00pm, with Grace’s funeral service beginning at 1:00 pm.

Grace will be laid to rest with Clay at a private interment at Glen Rest Memorial Estate in Reynoldsburg, Ohio.