Grace Louise Bair Stallings

Grace was born April 23, 1932, the fifth of ten children on the family farm in Elloree, SC. She loved her large family dearly and often recalled singing on the back porch swing and picking cotton in the company of her sisters and brothers: Liza, Frances, Charles, Fay, Marie, Sybil, David, Bunny, and Judy.

After her mother passed, Grace finished high school at Central High in Charlotte, NC and later married Walter Scott Stallings III, “Scotty.” Together they raised her teenage sisters Sybil and Judy and three children - Laura, Scott, and Leslie - living in Charlotte, Nashville, and Memphis.

Never afraid to try new things, she was a Boy Scout leader, Girl Scout leader, and at the age of 55 graduated from Memphis State University with a Masters in Education, fulfilling her lifelong dream of becoming a school teacher! She taught for 10 years at Airways Junior High, Hamilton Junior High, and in North Carolina at Brunswick County Schools. She was an active member of both Lindenwood and Winchester Heights Christian Church.

After the passing of her husband Scotty, the love of her life, Grace moved to the coastal town of Shallotte, North Carolina, where she taught school and Sunday school, was part of the vibrant Serendipity touring singing group, a garden club, and enjoyed walking and combing for shells on Ocean Isle Beach.

Grace moved back to the Memphis area in 2017 to be near family, living with Leslie and son-in-law Bobby. With a wit and intelligence that lasted till the end, she remained active and inquisitive, attending Advent Presbyterian Church, tutoring with Arise2Read at Riverwood Elementary and Sheffield Elementary, playing Bridge with the Oakland Bridge Group, and attending activities at the Arlington and Oakland Senior Centers.

Grace was a beloved member of the Fair Oaks neighborhood with neighbors blessing her with flowers, visits, and desserts. She had a known sweet tooth, enjoying nothing more than a piece of pie, a cup of tea, and a good book!

She prayed daily for her three children, eight grandchildren, and four great grandchildren, with another one on the way. We will miss her stories and gentle spirit.

To honor Grace, we ask that you extend grace to someone that doesn’t deserve it, read a book to a child, take flowers to an elderly friend, or share a piece of pie with a neighbor. Donations to Arise2Read would also be appreciated.

A Celebration of Life will occur on Oct 16 at the Great Hall in Germantown from 4pm-7pm with food, drink, dancing and music by one of Grace’s favorites, the legendary Joyce Cobb.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.brantleyfuneral.com for the Stallings family.