Grace J. M. Devetski

1936 - 2021

Grace J. M. Devetski

Nov. 5, 1936 - Feb. 3, 2021

SOUTH BEND, IN -

Grace Julia Mae (Wood) Devetski, 84, of South Bend, passed away Wednesday, February 3, 2021, surrounded by her loving family at her home, following a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Born November 5, 1936 in Evergreen Park, Illinois, Grace was the second of seven children of the late Charles and Alice (Read) Wood. She graduated from Mercy High School in Evergreen Park and received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Marquette University.

Grace started her career as an Emergency Room nurse at University of Illinois Hospital in Chicago and was an ICU nurse at Rush Presbyterian St. Luke's Hospital in Chicago, where she met her husband, Dr. Robert L. Devetski, whom she married on October 3, 1959 at St. Bernadette's Church in Evergreen Park, Illinois. Later, she worked as a nurse in outpatient surgery at St. Mary's Hospital in Saginaw, Michigan. Over the last 20 years of her husband's medical practice, she served as nurse, office manager, accountant, and generally kept everything running. Many patients commented that they really came to the office to see Grace, as she was loved by them all.

While raising her six children (all born in the span of 9 years), Grace volunteered at St. Joseph County Cancer Society, the South Bend Beautification Foundation, and served as a tour guide for the local Chamber of Commerce. Grace was a talented artist who enjoyed painting nature scenes. She used those skills to paint numerous fire hydrants as Revolutionary War soldiers at the time of the U.S. Bicentennial.

Her name was fitting, as she lived her life with grace, generosity and love. Beautiful, popular and friendly to all, Grace nevertheless avoided the limelight, choosing to shower kindness and attention on those who were not so popular, making sure no one felt left out. She always had time for a friend in need. She had strong opinions, but rarely raised her voice and never used profanity to get her point across. She loved to laugh at her favorite movie, “A New Leaf.” She laughed often, and contagiously. Her welcoming smile charmed everyone. That smile never faded; even toward the end when she suffered great pain, she still smiled and never complained.

Grace was a lifelong devout Catholic. Since 1968, she was a parishioner of St. Anthony de Padua Church in South Bend. She was also a long-serving lector at the chapel at St. Joseph Medical Center for Sunday afternoon Mass.

Always one to celebrate family, Grace organized and paid for her children and grandchildren to join her and her husband Bob on a vacation in the Cayman Islands to celebrate their 60th Wedding Anniversary. She made friends easily and was loved and respected by all who knew her. “Gracie” to her brothers and sisters, she was “Nanny” to her grandchildren.

Every encounter with Grace was an adventure. To her grandkids, she served as a pied piper, making every chore a game, teaching by example, and openly giving of her easy laughter. She was small in stature, but huge in impact on all who knew her. Her faith, common sense approach to life, and fighting spirit helped her conquer two bouts of breast cancer earlier in life.

Always a voracious reader, Grace enjoyed many other activities, including tending her favorite flowers, baking everyone's favorite desserts and birthday dinners, visiting her out-of-town children and grandchildren as often as possible, and offering warm hospitality to a constant stream of family and friends who visited their home. Her inimitable good humor, ability to solve any problem with curiosity, patience and understanding, and her love for life sustained her through her glorious life always surrounded by family and friends.

Of all her travels, she most enjoyed her annual visits to South Haven, Michigan for the Wood family reunions, where she got to share stories and create new adventures with her entire family -- her brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews. For over 50 years, she looked forward to Sleepy Hollow every year.

Surviving is her husband of 61 years, Robert, and their six children: Robert G. (Judy) Devetski of South Bend, Daniel (Karen) Devetski of Marietta, Georgia, Thomas (Margaret) Devetski of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Susan Devetski (Douglas Osthimer) of South Bend, Timothy (Cecilia) Devetski of Houston, Texas, and Julia Devetski of Chicago. Also surviving are 12 grandchildren: Amanda (Grant) Morine, Grace Hamilton, Robert A. Devetski, Ryan Devetski, Maura Devetski, Samantha Devetski, George Hamilton, Madison Devetski, Thomas Devetski, Reid Devetski, Eleanor Devetski, and Hazel Mae Stein; two step-grandchildren, Abi and Hanna Osthimer; and two great-grandchildren, James and Thomas Morine. In addition, Grace was survived by her two sisters, Joan (Pat) O'Shea of Monument, Colorado and Alice (Mike) Fordyce of Denver, Colorado; and four brothers, Jack (Jeanette) Wood of Palos Park, Illinois, Charles (Danna) Wood of Palos Park, Illinois, Michael (Janice) Wood of Homer Glen, Illinois, and Robert (Barb) Wood of Tinley Park, Illinois.

The family will greet guests at Palmer Funeral Home - Welsheimer North Chapel, 17033 Cleveland Rd., South Bend. Friends are invited to visit with the family from 4 until 6 p.m. Monday, February 8 at the funeral home where a parish Rosary will be prayed at 4:00 p.m. A Rite of Christian Burial Mass will be held at St. Anthony de Padua Church in South Bend at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, FEBRUARY 9, 2021. There will be a private family burial service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the Marquette University College of Nursing Alumni Fund - in honor of Grace J. Devetski.

Online: https://give.marquette.edu/nursing-giving

Online condolences can be directed to the Devetski family at www.palmerfuneralhomes.com.