Grace Ross Thomas

“By God’s Grace, you are saved” Ephesians 2:5

Our Grace was immensely worthy of her name.

On Wednesday, December 26, 2012, (Willie) Grace Ross Thomas returned to the arms of her loving savior, parents, son, and husbands, after a beautiful 101-year, 46-day celebration on Earth.

Born to parents Curtis and Molly Cook on November 16, 1911, just outside of Greenfield, Tennessee, Grace quickly learned the blessings of a strong faith and lessons of self-reliance. She grew up on the family farm with four sisters, and at 17 married Leonard Ross, eventually giving birth to two beautiful children: Charles, who passed away in infancy, and Margaret Alice, the apple of her eye.

After Leonard’s untimely death in 1954, Grace began working at RCA where she remained for 15 years. During the latter of those years at RCA, she put herself through beauty school, earned her state beautician license and became proprietor of Grace’s Beauty Salon. Located on Main Street in Beech Grove, the salon became the perfect venue for Grace to let everyone in town get to know her sparkling personality.

Always active in church, Grace offered her time and resources to missionaries in the field, taught Sunday school to teenage girls and sang in the church choir.

Grace was multi-talented: a wonderful quilter and seamstress, making quilts for both grandchildren and her five great-grandchildren, an accomplished painter, exhibiting and selling her paintings at area shows and community events, and a fantastic talent in the kitchen, famous for her homemade biscuits and gravy.

In February of 1994 (at 83), after 37 years of being single, Grace married David Thomas (now deceased), a longtime friend from their church, Gray Road Baptist Church.

Grace was admired and loved by all who met her. Her kind words, quick wit and compassionate, Christ-like personality was evident to all, in good times and bad. Her clear thinking, beautiful smile and sparkling blue eyes made it easy to love her and love the part she played in all of our lives.

During her 100th birthday party, one of her previous pastors remarked that he’d never spoken to a 100-year old before, to which Grace replied, “Neither have I!” with a wink and a chuckle. That was the Grace we knew and loved.

Grace is survived by her daughter, Margaret Anderson, her grandchildren, Cathy Macaluso and Kevin Anderson, and great-grandchildren, Paul and Trent Macaluso, and Michael, Alex, and Emily Anderson. She also leaves behind numerous family members in Tennessee, Michigan and a multitude of friends who will dearly miss her.

Grace was a daughter, mother, mother-in-law, sister, wife, aunt, business owner/entrepreneur, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend. Most of all however, Grace would want to be remembered as a joyful servant to her Lord Jesus Christ.

Visitation will be held Jan. 2, 2012 from 11AM-2PM at Little & Sons Funeral Home Stop 11 Chapel followed by a funeral service

at 2PM in the funeral home. Burial Orchard Hill Cemetery Wanamaker, Indiana