Grace Epling Thomas passed away in her home on November 25, 2018, at the beautiful age of 91.

Grace was born in Freeport, Illinois, in 1927. In 1947 she married her high school sweetheart, Stanley Thomas of Dakota, Illinois, and they raised three children on their farms: Steve (Barbara), Suzanne (Craig McCormick), and Terry (Barb).  They have eight grandchildren, fourteen great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.

Grace created a beautiful home for her family and enjoyed working in her many vegetable and flower gardens. She generously shared her many hostas and flowering plants, and she kept her freezers full of homegrown veggies for her family. Until her last day, she kept up with current world events, and she was skilled at computer research.  But perhaps her favorite love was books. Grace loved reading about all topics, particularly world cultures. Her living room is a whole library of interesting books: everything from spelunking to mountain climbing to Russian and New York City history.

Grace is preceded in death by her husband of 67 years and their granddaughter Jody Thomas Abouchacra.  In lieu of a memorial service, Grace would like you to smell a flower, be respectful of nature, and be kind to each other. For those who would like to honor her with a memorial, donations could be made to St Jude Children's Hospital.