Grace Winifred Thonet

Grace Winifred Keeling Thonet, age 93, of Scottsdale, AZ, died Sunday, June 28, 2015, with family members at her bedside. She was born January 17, 1922 in Prattsburg, NY, and was the daughter of the Reverend George Wesley Keeling and Charlotte Moss Keeling. During her childhood her family re-located whenever her father was re-assigned to another Methodist church, and thus Grace experienced life in several upstate New York communities, including Prattsburg, Hornell, Rochester and Bath.

Graduating from high school in 1940, Grace went on to study nursing at Methodist Hospital School of Nursing in Brooklyn, NY, graduating in 1943. Becoming a Registered Nurse was an accomplishment that was a source of great pride for her entire life. Grace met her husband, John (Jack) Thonet, on a blind date in March of 1944, when he was serving in the U. S. Coast Guard. On January 7, 1945, Grace and Jack were married in Merrick, NY. They made their home in Baldwin, Long Island, NY and over the next 16 years, had four children, John Chester Jr., Joan Charlotte, John Avery and Jacqueline Marie. Grace devoted her time and talents to managing the day-to-day demands of the family household, seeing to the needs of her growing children and serving as Jack’s devoted wife and partner as he pursued a successful banking career in Manhattan. When she wasn’t busy with other activities, Grace applied her creative talents to sewing and gardening, both of which remained lifelong passions.

In 1973, following Jack’s retirement, Grace, Jack and Jacqueline, then a teenager, moved to Austin, Texas. By that time, their eldest daughter, Joan, had married, and was also living in Austin. For the next 36 years, until Jack’s passing in 2009, Grace and Jack enjoyed their life together in Austin, continuing to guide Jacqueline through her high school and college years, and watching all of their children, grandchildren and then great grandchildren grow, with some living close by in Austin and others visiting regularly. At the time of Jack’s passing, Grace and Jack had been married more than 64 years. Grace moved with Joan to Scottsdale, Arizona in 2013.

Predeceasing Grace were her husband, John Chester Thonet and her first son, John Chester, Jr. She is survived by her loving children, Joan Thonet Morales and husband Eduardo of Scottsdale, AZ, John Thonet and wife, Kathi of Pittstown, NJ; Jacqueline Thonet and husband David DiElsi of Williston, Vermont; by four granddaughters, Hannah Blatt Thonet and husband Miguel Bermudez of NY, NY; Rebecca Blatt Thonet of NY, NY; Julie Morales Henderson and husband William of New Richmond, WI; and Andrea Ketcham and husband, Jonathan of Scottsdale, AZ; and by five great grandchildren, Dean and Graham Ketcham, Kyle and Sydney Henderson and Sadie Rose Bermudez. She is also survived by her sister, Charlotte Owen of Mission Viejo, CA; two nieces and one nephew and their families, all of CA.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by N. F. Walker Funeral Home, 2039 Merrick Avenue, Merrick, NY. Visitation with the family will be at the funeral home from 9:00 AM- 10:30 AM on Tuesday, July 21 followed by a Prayer Service from 10:30 AM – 11:00 am. with Reverend Ann Morgan officiating. Burial of the cremated remains will follow in Holy Rood Cemetery, Westbury, NY.

The family is grateful for the compassionate care provided by Premier Hospice and the staff at Sunrise of Scottsdale, both in Assisted Living and Reminiscence Care during her time there. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or to the charity of your choice.