In 1926, when she was 13, Grace was noted to have won third prize in at least two different essay contests. One was for "Better Vision Week" and the other for a store called "Diesel". In 1930, the Lima News published an article about Grace being valedictorian of her class at Saint John's High School. She was awarded a scholarship for Mt. St. Joseph College, but her mother did not feel it was right for her to go to college because her older sister Virginia had not. So Grace started working for the Colonial Finance Co. She married Martin Bowersock on September 24, 1936 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. A year later she stopped work when her oldest child Diane was born and Grace became a full-time homemaker and mother. Perhaps because she was not allowed to go to college, it was very important to Grace that her children attend. Grace and Martin made the personal and financial sacrifices to assure that they saved the money that would be required to put their four children through college. Her passion for college was demonstrated enough for her children that a few years after all four graduated, on their own ambitions and finances, their son obtained his Doctorate degree and their three daughters went on to obtain their Master's degrees.
Grace was an excellent pianist. Her children used to stand around the piano and sing as Grace played many of her favorites. One of her favorites, as I recall, was "Buttons and Bows". Singing Christmas carols while standing around that piano became a tradition each year. Grace also enjoyed riding horses. When the children were young, Grace prepared frozen cherries and strawberries and jams and preserves. While she did well with preparing these and fried chicken, cooking in general was not her forte. The cherries were picked by her children from her mother's back yard. There were several cherry trees and a large grape arbor in Agnes' back yard.
Grace always handled all the income in the family. In about 1951, Grace and Martin started a small business they called, "G & M Supplies". Martin's major recreation at the time was coon hunting, and T-shirts with pictures and words were becoming popular at the time, so they contracted with someone to print a picture of a dog chasing a coon with the words "My Dad is a Coon Hunter" under the picture, then sold these T-shirts through a hunter's magazine.
While her children were in school and Martin was working, Grace threw herself into many volunteer efforts. Her father had died of cancer, and Grace spent many hours packing bandages and soliciting for the Cancer Society. In 1954, she served as Treasurer of the Allen County branch of the Cancer Society and later served as this organization's President. About the same time she served as President of Saint John's Altar Society. She was a charter member of the St. Rita's Auxiliary, serving as President from 1957 to 1959.
In about 1959, Grace and Martin purchased a neighborhood inn in Kenton, Ohio, that Grace managed personally. Martin was still worked full time at the Lima Refinery. Their youngest child was to soon graduate from high school, so this allowed Grace the time to establish her new business. After Martin's death in 1970, Grace continued personal management of the business driving an hour from Lima to Kenton each day, six days a week, working ten to twelve hours each day before driving the hour home again. She finally sold the business when she was 70 years old.
After her retirement, she returned to a life filled with volunteering. Grace began to, once again, volunteer at St. Rita's Hospital and in the food kitchen, sometimes volunteering up to four days a week. She was a member of St. Charles Catholic Church and it's Altar Rosary Society. She was a member of AARP national and the local chapters,serving as the local chapter's Treasurer for many years. Grace volunteered for the Red Cross, St. Vincent DePaul and Our Daily Bread soup kitchen. She was a member of Lima Senior Citizens and Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Auxiliary and a charter member of the Lima Convalescent Home Auxiliary. She held membership in the Johnny Appleseed Park Association and in St. Rita's Mercy Club. Somehow, she still found time to take walks with her neighbor and participate in Senior Trips as well as attend local performances. She remained active her entire life and, being an avid gardener, always found time for her plants. Her hobbies also included collecting coins, stamps, and Avon bottles.
Grace was a petite brunette with dark brown eyes. When she married she weighed only 98 pounds.
Grace was an excellent pianist. Her children used to stand around the piano and sing as Grace played many of her favorites. One of her favorites, as I recall, was "Buttons and Bows". Singing Christmas carols while standing around that piano became a tradition each year. Grace also enjoyed riding horses. When the children were young, Grace prepared frozen cherries and strawberries and jams and preserves. While she did well with preparing these and fried chicken, cooking in general was not her forte. The cherries were picked by her children from her mother's back yard. There were several cherry trees and a large grape arbor in Agnes' back yard.
Grace always handled all the income in the family. In about 1951, Grace and Martin started a small business they called, "G & M Supplies". Martin's major recreation at the time was coon hunting, and T-shirts with pictures and words were becoming popular at the time, so they contracted with someone to print a picture of a dog chasing a coon with the words "My Dad is a Coon Hunter" under the picture, then sold these T-shirts through a hunter's magazine.
While her children were in school and Martin was working, Grace threw herself into many volunteer efforts. Her father had died of cancer, and Grace spent many hours packing bandages and soliciting for the Cancer Society. In 1954, she served as Treasurer of the Allen County branch of the Cancer Society and later served as this organization's President. About the same time she served as President of Saint John's Altar Society. She was a charter member of the St. Rita's Auxiliary, serving as President from 1957 to 1959.
In about 1959, Grace and Martin purchased a neighborhood inn in Kenton, Ohio, that Grace managed personally. Martin was still worked full time at the Lima Refinery. Their youngest child was to soon graduate from high school, so this allowed Grace the time to establish her new business. After Martin's death in 1970, Grace continued personal management of the business driving an hour from Lima to Kenton each day, six days a week, working ten to twelve hours each day before driving the hour home again. She finally sold the business when she was 70 years old.
After her retirement, she returned to a life filled with volunteering. Grace began to, once again, volunteer at St. Rita's Hospital and in the food kitchen, sometimes volunteering up to four days a week. She was a member of St. Charles Catholic Church and it's Altar Rosary Society. She was a member of AARP national and the local chapters,serving as the local chapter's Treasurer for many years. Grace volunteered for the Red Cross, St. Vincent DePaul and Our Daily Bread soup kitchen. She was a member of Lima Senior Citizens and Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Auxiliary and a charter member of the Lima Convalescent Home Auxiliary. She held membership in the Johnny Appleseed Park Association and in St. Rita's Mercy Club. Somehow, she still found time to take walks with her neighbor and participate in Senior Trips as well as attend local performances. She remained active her entire life and, being an avid gardener, always found time for her plants. Her hobbies also included collecting coins, stamps, and Avon bottles.
Grace was a petite brunette with dark brown eyes. When she married she weighed only 98 pounds.
In 1926, when she was 13, Grace was noted to have won third prize in at least two different essay contests. One was for "Better Vision Week" and the other for a store called "Diesel". In 1930, the Lima News published an article about Grace being valedictorian of her class at Saint John's High School. She was awarded a scholarship for Mt. St. Joseph College, but her mother did not feel it was right for her to go to college because her older sister Virginia had not. So Grace started working for the Colonial Finance Co. She married Martin Bowersock on September 24, 1936 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. A year later she stopped work when her oldest child Diane was born and Grace became a full-time homemaker and mother. Perhaps because she was not allowed to go to college, it was very important to Grace that her children attend. Grace and Martin made the personal and financial sacrifices to assure that they saved the money that would be required to put their four children through college. Her passion for college was demonstrated enough for her children that a few years after all four graduated, on their own ambitions and finances, their son obtained his Doctorate degree and their three daughters went on to obtain their Master's degrees.
Grace was an excellent pianist. Her children used to stand around the piano and sing as Grace played many of her favorites. One of her favorites, as I recall, was "Buttons and Bows". Singing Christmas carols while standing around that piano became a tradition each year. Grace also enjoyed riding horses. When the children were young, Grace prepared frozen cherries and strawberries and jams and preserves. While she did well with preparing these and fried chicken, cooking in general was not her forte. The cherries were picked by her children from her mother's back yard. There were several cherry trees and a large grape arbor in Agnes' back yard.
Grace always handled all the income in the family. In about 1951, Grace and Martin started a small business they called, "G & M Supplies". Martin's major recreation at the time was coon hunting, and T-shirts with pictures and words were becoming popular at the time, so they contracted with someone to print a picture of a dog chasing a coon with the words "My Dad is a Coon Hunter" under the picture, then sold these T-shirts through a hunter's magazine.
While her children were in school and Martin was working, Grace threw herself into many volunteer efforts. Her father had died of cancer, and Grace spent many hours packing bandages and soliciting for the Cancer Society. In 1954, she served as Treasurer of the Allen County branch of the Cancer Society and later served as this organization's President. About the same time she served as President of Saint John's Altar Society. She was a charter member of the St. Rita's Auxiliary, serving as President from 1957 to 1959.
In about 1959, Grace and Martin purchased a neighborhood inn in Kenton, Ohio, that Grace managed personally. Martin was still worked full time at the Lima Refinery. Their youngest child was to soon graduate from high school, so this allowed Grace the time to establish her new business. After Martin's death in 1970, Grace continued personal management of the business driving an hour from Lima to Kenton each day, six days a week, working ten to twelve hours each day before driving the hour home again. She finally sold the business when she was 70 years old.
After her retirement, she returned to a life filled with volunteering. Grace began to, once again, volunteer at St. Rita's Hospital and in the food kitchen, sometimes volunteering up to four days a week. She was a member of St. Charles Catholic Church and it's Altar Rosary Society. She was a member of AARP national and the local chapters,serving as the local chapter's Treasurer for many years. Grace volunteered for the Red Cross, St. Vincent DePaul and Our Daily Bread soup kitchen. She was a member of Lima Senior Citizens and Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Auxiliary and a charter member of the Lima Convalescent Home Auxiliary. She held membership in the Johnny Appleseed Park Association and in St. Rita's Mercy Club. Somehow, she still found time to take walks with her neighbor and participate in Senior Trips as well as attend local performances. She remained active her entire life and, being an avid gardener, always found time for her plants. Her hobbies also included collecting coins, stamps, and Avon bottles.
Grace was a petite brunette with dark brown eyes. When she married she weighed only 98 pounds.
Grace was an excellent pianist. Her children used to stand around the piano and sing as Grace played many of her favorites. One of her favorites, as I recall, was "Buttons and Bows". Singing Christmas carols while standing around that piano became a tradition each year. Grace also enjoyed riding horses. When the children were young, Grace prepared frozen cherries and strawberries and jams and preserves. While she did well with preparing these and fried chicken, cooking in general was not her forte. The cherries were picked by her children from her mother's back yard. There were several cherry trees and a large grape arbor in Agnes' back yard.
Grace always handled all the income in the family. In about 1951, Grace and Martin started a small business they called, "G & M Supplies". Martin's major recreation at the time was coon hunting, and T-shirts with pictures and words were becoming popular at the time, so they contracted with someone to print a picture of a dog chasing a coon with the words "My Dad is a Coon Hunter" under the picture, then sold these T-shirts through a hunter's magazine.
While her children were in school and Martin was working, Grace threw herself into many volunteer efforts. Her father had died of cancer, and Grace spent many hours packing bandages and soliciting for the Cancer Society. In 1954, she served as Treasurer of the Allen County branch of the Cancer Society and later served as this organization's President. About the same time she served as President of Saint John's Altar Society. She was a charter member of the St. Rita's Auxiliary, serving as President from 1957 to 1959.
In about 1959, Grace and Martin purchased a neighborhood inn in Kenton, Ohio, that Grace managed personally. Martin was still worked full time at the Lima Refinery. Their youngest child was to soon graduate from high school, so this allowed Grace the time to establish her new business. After Martin's death in 1970, Grace continued personal management of the business driving an hour from Lima to Kenton each day, six days a week, working ten to twelve hours each day before driving the hour home again. She finally sold the business when she was 70 years old.
After her retirement, she returned to a life filled with volunteering. Grace began to, once again, volunteer at St. Rita's Hospital and in the food kitchen, sometimes volunteering up to four days a week. She was a member of St. Charles Catholic Church and it's Altar Rosary Society. She was a member of AARP national and the local chapters,serving as the local chapter's Treasurer for many years. Grace volunteered for the Red Cross, St. Vincent DePaul and Our Daily Bread soup kitchen. She was a member of Lima Senior Citizens and Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Auxiliary and a charter member of the Lima Convalescent Home Auxiliary. She held membership in the Johnny Appleseed Park Association and in St. Rita's Mercy Club. Somehow, she still found time to take walks with her neighbor and participate in Senior Trips as well as attend local performances. She remained active her entire life and, being an avid gardener, always found time for her plants. Her hobbies also included collecting coins, stamps, and Avon bottles.
Grace was a petite brunette with dark brown eyes. When she married she weighed only 98 pounds.
