Grace May (FIscher) DeLong

Grace May (Fischer) DeLong entered the joy of her Lord May 9, 2026. Grace was born May 2, 1947 in Minot, North Dakota, to her parents Benjamin Christian Fischer and Frieda Helen (Edinger) Fischer. She was the youngest of ten children. Her older siblings were Priscilla, Lavonne, Leo, Bernadine, Richard, Vivian, Jerome, Timmy, and Larry. She graduated from Velva High School in 1965. In 1967, her family moved to Washington and built a home south of Monroe, Washington. Grace worked for a time in California as a wire-drawer at aerospace companies. She returned to her parents’ home in Washington, and worked at Boeing building cockpit wire bundles for the new 747. After being laid off from Boeing, she met her future husband, Paul DeLong, in 1970. They were married April 10, 1971, and moved into Paul’s family homestead house west of Monroe in February, 1973. Immediately, they began remodeling it to accommodate a growing family.

Grace was good with her hands; working at laying tile, cutting and placing trim, painting, sheetrock mudding, putting up siding, shingling, brick laying, refinishing furniture, clearing blocked sink traps, replacing decking, and many other useful skills. She possessed and operated all the modern power carpentry tools: rotary saw, table saw, tile cutter, chopper, sander, drill, router, and jigsaw. On one occasion, she and her sister Vivian expanded the master bedroom by themselves, doing everything from the foundation to the roofing, excepting only putting up sheetrock and running electrical wiring. She, her sister Vivian, and brother Leo converted the barn on the property into an apartment that was occupied by a succession of renters, and most recently by our grandson Israel after his graduation. Grace mowed the lawns, and pressure-washed and bleached the decks and driveways. She worked as an apartment manager for the Hanson’s, as well as doing maintenance work and refurbishing on vacated units. She also worked at painting on some commercial stores in Monroe. Grace’s manual talents have been passed on to her two sons, Mark and Andrew. She milked cows that the family owned, and made butter and cream for the family and others.

Grace loved decorating for Christmas and other holidays, both at her home and church. She not only helped renovate the family house, but made it a family home. Grace was an excellent cook, and Sundays were characterized by her signature pot roast dinners that were enjoyed by all. The DeLong Salad was always a favorite. Holiday dishes that she specialized in making were the nut roll, sticky buns, inner-outers, and the popular kuche. Her daughters, Joy and Sara, continue Grace’s heritage by being excellent cooks in their own right.

Grace was an expert seamstress – to save money for her wedding, she made all of the bridesmaids’ dresses. She made quilts for her children when they were young. She made all the curtains and valances in the dining room and living room. She enjoyed browsing at garage and yard sales, and was able to purchase some great bargains there. She not only shopped at garage sales, but occasionally organized and held yard sales at the family home. These turned into quite a family affair. She shopped for bargains St. Vincent de Paul in Monroe. Much of the furniture in the home was pieces bought at St. Vincent's, and then refurbished and refinished. She also volunteered at St. Vincent's, sorting through the jewelry and putting it out on displays in the store.

For entertainment, Grace loved to watch her favorite movies, “Pride and Prejudice” and “Peter Rabbit”. Her favorite TV shows were “The Nanny”, “Monk”, “Everybody Loves Raymond”, “The Andy Griffith Show”, “Family Feud”, and “Antiques Road Show”. She was a master at card games, especially solitaire and pinochle.

Grace possessed a strong will and determination. When she set out to do something, she would find a way to finish it. She was courageous and bold. One dark night she ventured into the neighbor’s field in the midst of a pack of howling coyotes to recover a lost dog. She was not afraid to climb and work from tall ladders, or work on roof-tops. (Yet she was afraid to fly in an airliner.)

Grace was active in the church all through her adult life, only ceasing to attend church in her latter months when she was no longer physically able. She was a girls’ Sunday School teacher, and she was instrumental in starting and teaching in the AWANA’s program at First Baptist Church Monroe. She helped with the weekly cleaning at both First Baptist Church Monroe and Pinehurst Baptist Church in Everett. She used her strong mezzo-soprano voice by singing in the choir; and performed duets with her husband Paul on numerous occasions. Three of her favorite songs were “My Name is Lazarus” as sung by the Greater Vision group, “Mary, Did You Know” featuring Mark Lowry and the Voctave acapella group, and “Oh Say, But I’m Glad” as performed by Russ Taft. Her love of music was further exhibited by the musical talents of her two daughters, Joy and Sara; both of whom are accomplished musicians.

Grace had natural wit that was entertaining to all who knew her, and she was gifted with a ready smile. She reveled and participated in lively conversations. Yet she also demonstrated a practical wisdom borne of life’s experiences.

In all, she was faithful to her God and His Scriptures. Up until her last days, before retiring for sleep, she would consult her well-worn notebook in which she had recorded songs, quotations, prayer requests, and names. Her last thoughts for the day were for inspiration and lifting up others. She experienced, not only the miracle of the new birth, but instances of God’s providential care for her. On one occasion she was on the roof of the old bedroom tearing off the rafters, she suddenly felt herself going over the edge. She told how, at that moment, a warm wind gently blew her back up. She also related how God had told her before her marriage that Paul was to be her husband.

In 2022, Grace was diagnosed with stage four cancer, and bravely fought the disease for the next 3+ years. She finally succumbed to the illness, yet her strength and will caused her to triumph over it. Mercifully she retained her mental capabilities to her final hours. She was fiercely devoted to her family, all of whom surrounded her with tender care and love in her last days. She accepted the prospect of imminent death, because she knew that it was the transition to that eternal realm where she would freely breathe heaven’s air. Preceding her in death were her parents Benjamin and Frieda, four sisters (Priscilla, LaVonne, Bernadine, and Vivian), one brother (Jerome), and one son (Matthew James). She is survived by her husband Paul of 55 years; son Mark Adam and daughter-in-law Megan, son Andrew Paul, daughter Joy Marie McBroom and son-in-law Aaron, and Sara Hope Sheppard and son-in-law Joshua; fifteen grandchildren; four brothers (Leo, Richard, Timmy, and Larry); and numerous nephews and nieces.

Grace’s Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, May 30, 2026 at 2:00 p.m at Pinehurst Baptist Church in Everett, Washington.

Private family burial will be at Evergreen Cemetery in Everett.