Gordon Scott Brace

Gordon S. Brace, 59, of Falls Church, Virginia, passed away as a result of cardiac arrest, on Wednesday, October 30, 2019. Gordon was born on November 17, 1959 in Muskegon, Michigan, the third of five sons, to Robert G. Brace, of the Submarine Service of the United States Navy, and Marilyn L. (Westphal) Brace, housewife. Gordon grew up at various Navy submarine bases and developed a passion for the outdoors resulting in a lifelong love of hiking, rock climbing, and caving. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Geology from the University of Maryland and worked as a Network Engineer with the former American Geologic Institute (currently American Geosciences Institute). For the last 17 years, he was a Senior Systems Engineer with the United States House of Representatives Office of the Clerk Legislative Computer Systems. He spent much of his free time exploring, surveying, mapping, and coordinating caving projects and served as President and Trustee of the Potomac Speleological Club (PSC), founding member of the Germany Valley Karst Survey (GVKS), and Fellow of the National Speleological Society (NSS). Through the years, he built a woodworking shop where he crafted cabinetry and other pieces of fine furniture. He is survived by his wife of 21 years, Kristin A. (O’Neill) Brace; two sons, Wyatt A. Brace and Dylan S. Brace of the home; three brothers, Thomas Brace (Diane), Sun City Center, Florida, James Brace, and Steven Brace, both of Mt. Airy, Maryland; sisters-in-law, Pamela Brace, Chesterfield, Virginia, and Kerry O’Neill (Tom Blair), Fredericksburg, Virginia; brothers-in-law Jonathan O’Neill (Tegan Flynn), Washington, D.C., and Kevin O’Neill (Melissa Petrovich), Nashville, Tennessee; and parents-in-law Judith O’Neill, Falls Church, Virginia, and John O’Neill (Carol), Herndon, Virginia. He also leaves much-loved aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, and nieces. Gordon is preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Marilyn Brace, Mt. Airy, Maryland, and one brother, Bruce R. Brace, Chesterfield, Virginia. A memorial service will be held on Friday, November 15, 2019 at Murphy Funeral Home, 1102 West Broad Street, Falls Church, Virginia 22046. Family and friends are invited to visit from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Memorial service begins at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in honor of Gordon to the West Virginia Cave Conservancy (WVCC), c/o Robert Hoke, Treasurer, 6304 Kaybro St., Laurel, Maryland 20707, or on-line at https://wvcc.net/purchase-options/.