J. Matthew Gracie

J. Matthew "Matt" Gracie Freelance interior designer and award-winning china and crystal specialist for Macy's, has died. Mr. Gracie, 45, passed away on May 18, 2007 at Paoli Hospital in Chester County, Pennsylvania. He was born in Indianapolis on April 2, 1962, and grew up in Carmel, Indiana. He was a 1980 graduate of Anderson High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, and spent several years after high school living in the Cincinnati area, where he worked at The Diner and Winberries. Mr. Gracie had lived the past 20 years in Los Angeles, where he continued to develop his love and expertise for mid-century modern design and style, including the art, architecture, automobiles and fashion of the era. He worked in sales at American Rag Co.; as a display coordinator for Calvin Klein, and at the Charles Minne' Showroom at the Pacific Design Center. He had his own interior design consulting business, Modern Standard, which specialized in the mid-century modern style. His shop, Design House, on Melrose Ave., was written up in L.A.'s Buzz Magazine for its incredible showroom. For the past 8 years, Mr. Gracie had worked as a china and crystal specialist at Macy's South Pasadena, where his work in sales and displays of Bernardaud, Baccarat and Cristofle won many awards and accolades. Mr. Gracie was a member of the non-profit Los Angeles Conservancy, and was a supporter of their work to recognize, preserve and revitalize the historic architecture of Los Angeles County. His additional interests included collectible cars, classic film, and model trains. Mr. Gracie is pre-deceased by one brother, John. He is survived by his parents, John C. and Margaret J. Gracie of Aberdeen, North Carolina; and four sisters: Carolyn Hayworth and her husband Mike of Chester County, PA, Jennifer Bogut and her husband John of Pittsburgh, Betsy Marant, her husband Frank and their son John Logan of Atlanta, and Suzanne Gracie of Richmond, VA. A Memorial Mass was held on May 22 at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Chester Springs, PA. A second Memorial Mass will be held at St. Basil Catholic Church, 3611 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, 90005, on Friday, June 22, at 10 a.m. All family, friends and co-workers are invited to attend. Mr. Gracie's final resting place will be at Oaklawn Memorial Gardens in Indianapolis. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to The Matt Gracie Memorial Fund, Los Angeles Conservancy, 523 West Sixth Street, Suite 826, Los Angeles, CA 90014. All donations are tax deductible. www.laconservancy.org.