Grace Lucille LeVasseur, 78, of Staples died April 16, 2010, at Lakewood Health System in Staples.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on May 16, at The Vintage golf course, 27923 McGivern Drive, Staples. Burial will be in Evergreen Hill Cemetery.

Arrangements are with the Brenny Funeral Home, Staples.

Grace was born April 10, 1932, in Augusta to Carl and Selma “Sally (Tysdal) Engelhardt. The family moved to Alexandria, where she graduated from Jefferson High School in 1950. She married Ken LeVasseur on June 29, 1950 in Alexandria.

“Butch”, as Grace was known to her friends and family, later traveled to Schweinfurt, Germany, joining Ken for his last tour of duty in the service. They moved to Staples in 1961.

For a few years she worked for the Staples World newspaper, but was best known for the 20 years as a Welcome Wagon hostess in the Staples area. Grace kept local weather records for over 40 years and reported weather data to a local television station and the Staples World.

She was elected to represent Staples Township on the District Governing Board for Greater Staples Hospital and Care Center (later Lakewood Health System) serving 25 years. Grace was a founding member of Bosom Buddies, a breast cancer support group, a participant in Relay for Life and an active member of many community groups including: Money Bags Investment Club, Ladies Golf League, Scarlet O’Hatters and Staples Senior Citizens. She loved playing bridge, poker, bird watching, sewing and gardening.

Grace is survived by her husband, two daughters, Diane (Michael) Sauer; Susan (Bob) Rego; one son, David (DeAnna) LeVasseur; six grandchildren, one great-grandchild, one

brother, Robert (Rita) Engelhart;

one sister, Dorothy “Tootie” Olson; many nieces

and nephews.

She was preceded in death by one infant daughter, Nancy; her parents, and one brother, Stanley Engelhardt.

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