Grace Dennis

1923 - 2018

Grace Dennis

Phoenix - Grace Dennis passed away in Phoenix on August 24, 2018, her 95th birthday.

Grace was born in Detroit to Nicholas and Carrie Van Meter Fritz. In high school she worked as a live-in housekeeper and nanny. In June 1941 she graduated from Cooley High School and the same month before a crowd of 25,000 she was named Miss Strathmoor, a section of Detroit that had an annual festival. After graduation she worked as a dental assistant and later in the offices of Hoskins Manufacturing. She left Hoskins to raise her family but returned in 1974 and worked there until her retirement and move to Scottsdale, Arizona. While her children were in school she was a volunteer worker with disabled babies and young children.

She married Clinton Donald "Don" Dennis in 1947, a marriage that lasted 27 years and a friendship that lasted until his passing in 1994.

Along with Don and her parents she joins her big brother Kenneth and sisters Katherine "Sis" Karbacz, Caroline Fawcett, Dorothy Parker, Margaret Craddock, Alberta "Susie" Caudill, stepmother Anna Mackey Fritz, and daughter-in-law Cheryl Wursche Dennis.

Grace had a wicked sense of humor and was quick with a quip. She had a strong interest in politics and enjoyed watching golf, football and baseball. At home you could usually find her watching C-SPAN or the Golf Channel.

She is survived by sons Lawrence (Chris Curcio) Dennis, Richard (Natasha) Dennis, daughter Cheryl Norush, her beloved grand-daughter Zoë Dennis, and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank Dannis Murphy and the staff of The Terraces memory unit for their warm care over the last 12 years as she dealt with dementia. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of the Valley.

Services will be held at Messinger Mortuary, 7601 E. Indian School Rd., Scottsdale at noon Saturday, September 1st with viewing at 11 a.m. Internment afterwards at Paradise Memorial Gardens, Scottsdale.