Grace Delores Frances Racette

Grace was born on Jan. 24, 1934, in Brooklyn, the daughter of William and Alexine (Bartscherer) Seward.  She graduated from Bishop McDonnell Memorial High School in Brooklyn and from Kings County School of Nursing in 1955. Grace was a registered nurse and worked at Alice Hyde Hospital, Champlain Valley Hospital and  CVPH Medical Center.

She volunteered for many years at High Peaks Hospice.

Grace married James Racette, a soldier from the North Country stationed at the Brooklyn Naval Yard in 1955. She moved with Jim to the North Country to raise their family. They lived in Malone, Saranac, Saranac Lake and Plattsburgh. Grace lived the last years of her life at the Champlain Valley Senior Community in Willsboro.

Mom was a fiercely independent woman of strong opinion. She believed forcefully in the value of education and service to the community.

Left to cherish her memory are  her husband James and her children: Steven and his wife Cherie of Saranac Lake, Peter and his wife Karen of Redford, Christopher of Atlanta, Georgia, Geralynn Ransom of Kasilof, Alaska, Joseph and his wife Dorothee of Delmar, and Gregory and his wife Lisa Kryger of Wakefield, Massachusetts. She is also survived by grandchildren Erin Griffin and her husband Andy Testo of Saranac Lake, Douglas Racette and his fiancee Kate Kelley of Swampscott, Massachusetts, Samuel Racette and his partner Caressa Chen of Chicago, Illinois, James Racette and his partner Sarah Burger of Buffalo, Katie Racette of Missoula, Montana, Louis Racette of Jinja, Uganda, Ben Ransom of Kasilof, Alaska, Madeline Ransom of Anchorage, Alaska, Hannah Racette of Aspen, Colordao, and Clara Racette and her partner Olive Swanson of Raleigh, North Carolina; and her brother William and his wife Dorothy Seward of Lakewood, New Jersey.

Grace was predeceased by her daughter Alexine, her son-in-law Jeffrey Ransom, brother Edward Seward and her parents.

Funeral arrangements are in care of the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake. There will be no calling hours. A Mass of Christian burial will be held in St. Bernard’s Church in Saranac Lake at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 8.

The family would like to thank the staff at the Champlain Valley Senior Community for excellent care in the last three years. We also appreciate the fifth floor of CVPH for compassion and kindness during Mom’s final days.

Memorial donations may be made to High Peaks Hospice of Saranac Lake in care of the Fortune Keough Funeral Home.