Grace Darlene Jaime

Grace Darlene Tunender Kappen D’Agostino Jaime, 91, passed away in her sleep on January 7th in Denver, Colorado where she resided with her sons Greg and Al. She was born on October 11th 1933 in Canton, South Dakota to Henry C. Tunender and Anna Moberg Tunender.

She started her career with the department of defense at Hill Air Force Base in Clearfield, Utah in her early twenties. Upon moving to San Bernardino, California in 1963, she worked at Norton Air Force Base until she returned to HAFB in 1965. She became a stay at home mom in 1969 and spent some time in Maryland, Washington DC, and finally Colorado. In 1980, she went to work at Fitzsimons Army Medical Base at the same grade she had left at, working her way up to Classification Specialist, a position that took her to Germany from 1985-1990 where she had many exciting adventures throughout Europe— Paris, London, and Belgium to name a few. Upon her retirement in 1995, she discovered her love of cruising with her first cruise to the Western Caribbean in 1996 and ending with an Alaskan cruise in 2008, with Turkey, Spain, Costa Rica, and Hawaii to name a few in between.

She loved playing board and card games like Canasta, Clue, Life, Pinnacle, Scrabble, Spades, Hearts, and Cribbage. She also loved puzzles in the newspaper especially crossword puzzles. During her second marriage she loved going dancing at the NCO club and getting dressed in her finest. Some of her favorite T.V. was watching bowling, Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, and Golden Girls. She was a loyal Denver Broncos fan and had an impressive collection of Marilyn Monroe memorabilia. Her record collection included Herb Albert, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, and Alan Jackson, and she can’t sit still when “Old Time Rock n Roll” comes on the radio. Her favorite readings were biographies and Alex Trebeck’s The Answer Is was on the night stand at her passing.

When she was younger, she didn’t really like her name but embraced it in her later years as she was grateful for the grace given to her as she survived three brain aneurysm surgeries and two bouts with breast cancer. That grace was freely given to those in her life.

She married Ted Kappen in 1951 (divorced 1956) and is survived by children from that marriage, Debra Kay Girardo and Mark Allen “Al” Kappen.

She married Joseph D’Agostino in 1960 (divorced 1968) and is survived by their daughter, Gina Darlene D’Agostino-Quattrochiocchi (Paul), and step-daughters, Aneita Kendall (Jonny), Sandra D’Agostino, JoAnn Minardi (Blake), Jene Formaro, Terra D’Agostino-Floor (Steven), and Marianne Borcovan (Dave).

She married her third husband in 1969 (divorced 1980) and is survived by son Gregory David Jaime (Melissa) from that marriage.

She is also survived by two grandchildren, Dylan David Girardo (Jamie) and Rachel Ann McKay (Mark, deceased), and several nieces and nephews.

She is proceeded in death by two sisters, Dorothy Austin and Onalee Hetrick, and her cruising companion, Gene Dorsey.

It was her wish to be cremated, which took place on January 15th at Olinger Highland Mortuary and Crematory. There will be no services for Grace as she wanted to give those who loved her the space to grieve and remember her in their own individual way. She will have a name plaque engraved in the Memory Gardens there.

In lieu of flowers, consider making a donation to St. Joseph Indian School or Southwest Reservation Aid.

Please leave any condolences, pictures, or memories you would like to share.