Grace Edith Winslow

Grace was born to parents Robert and Herma Marston in Palestine, Texas on July 16, 1930 during the oil boom in East Texas. She remembers fondly her loving nanny, Denver, who cared for her until she was two years old. The family, including older sisters Dorothy and Mary, moved several times due to their father’s job as a Manager for Sun Oil Company. They lived in McAllen, Texas; then Quinault, Washington; then back to McAllen. In 1941 the family moved to Dallas into a new home on Caruth Boulevard.

During the WWII years, the family sponsored British RAF pilots who were stationed nearby in Terrell, Texas. Grace remained friends with two of them for many years. In 1945, Robert died of a sudden heart attack, an unexpected shock. He asked his daughter on his deathbed to care for her mother, who was emotionally unable to cope with the loss. Grace was 15 when she took on adult responsibilities from that point on.

Grace attended SMU after high school, but continued to live at home and care for her mother. She joined a sorority and enjoyed many campus social activities. She maintained several life-long friends from college--it was a special time in her life. She had fond memories of many fun times attending football games with friends. She’s said her experiences in the sorority and campus life helped to prepare her for the working world.

After college, Grace continued to live at home, but secured a number of jobs, including a bank clerk, receptionist, and secretary. She had two positions at Sun Oil Company, which she was particularly proud of because her dad worked there previously and was highly respected.

At age 26, Grace met 1st Lt. Ronald Winslow through her best friend Marie, who was dating Ron’s roommate. Both were U.S. Army officers stationed at Fort Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma. After a brief courtship, the couple married in 1957 and moved to Fort Collins, Colorado where Ron was teaching and working on his graduate degree. Daughter Rene was born in 1958 while they lived there, and son Bill was born in 1960 when they moved back to Dallas briefly. Ron’s job upon graduating CSU relocated the family to Riverside, California where they lived for two years. Another job change necessitated a move back to Dallas, where daughter Becky was born in 1963.

Grace was a traditional homemaker during the 1960s, but also continued to care for her mother. When her kids got a little older she had several part-time positions at the Dallas Trade Mart doing administrative work for various showrooms. She loved being able to buy samples of everything from decorative items to furniture at rock bottom prices.

She later pursued a career in real estate, and worked diligently in the profession for 26 years, earning a number of sales awards. She most enjoyed working with young couples buying their first home, and often became close with her clients, watching their kids grow up and advising them on future home buys. She was still recently in contact with her favorite client, Cindy, who has visited Mom regularly for the past few years.

Grace loved being a grandma. Nikki was born in 1996, and Maddie in 2005. She often talked about how grateful and happy she was to have them in her life, and how proud she was of their individual skills and accomplishments.

In the late 90s, Grace went on several group trips to Europe, visiting iconic cities and historic sites. She was in Prague on 9/11 when the terrorist attacks occurred. She remarked how touched she was that the Czech people were crying in the streets upon hearing the news. She didn’t do much flying after that except for a couple of domestic trips to visit family.

Grace officially retired around age 70, sold her home in Dallas, and moved to a smaller home in Richardson. She enjoyed working in her garden, and her house became the meeting place for family gatherings and holiday celebrations.

She was able to stay in her home until 2019, when it became clear (after several falls) that she needed daily assistance for living. Selling her home and the majority of her possessions was disheartening, as she treasured her belongings. Over the years, she collected many antiques. Especially treasured were family photos and mementos, some of which dated back to the early 20th century. She often said that she felt responsible for caretaking these items to preserve the memories for future generations.

Grace will be remembered for her love of beautiful things, her garden, and above all … her family and friends. We were often told by anyone who met her, including her nurse and caregivers of the last few years: “Your Mama is the sweetest lady ever.” We couldn’t agree more.

Grace left these words to be read at her funeral:

“I enjoyed watching my children and grandchildren grow up into people I both admired, respected, and was proud of. They are thoughtful, kind, and loving. They are my energy, my whole reason for being, and the love and focus of my life. I was fortunate to have many loving friends over the years that I felt were like family as well, and I cared deeply for them all.”

Beloved mother of Rene, Bill, and Becky; cherished grandmother of Nikki and Maddie; caring aunt, cousin, and friend to many. Grace was preceded in death by adoring husband Ron, loving sisters Dorothy and Mary, and devoted parents Robert and Herma.

A funeral service for Grace was held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, January 4, 2025 at Sparkman/Hillcrest Funeral Home, 7405 West Northwest Highway, Dallas, TX 75225.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Grace's memory may be made to Cody's Friends Rescue - https://www.codysfriendsrescue.org/donate