GLOUCESTER: Grace E. (Stanton) Munroe, 79, died Sunday, April 20, 2014 at her home following an extended illness. She was the wife of the late Russell J. Munroe, Sr. who died in 2003.
Born in Gloucester on January 14, 1935 she was the daughter of the late Ellard R. and Marguerite (Essbury) Stanton. She was a lifelong resident of Gloucester and a graduate of Gloucester High School.
Grace was proudly employed at Gorton’s of Gloucester for ten years before her illness forced an early retirement. Prior to marriage she worked as a secretary in the guidance department of Gloucester High School for several years.
An avid sports fan, affectionately known as "pigtail blonde" as a child, she loved playing baseball with the boys at Burnham Field. One of her favorite pastimes was cheering on her teams, the New England Patriots, the Boston Red Sox, and the Boston Celtics. In recent years, she could be seen around town, cavorting with her girlfriends at McDonalds and the Senior Center.
Grace's family would like to thank the staff at Brigham & Women’s Hospital ICU, Spaulding Rehab. in Salem, Care Dimensions and Adult Foster Care for all the support and care they gave her.
She is survived by her daughter, Debra J. Pacheco of Gloucester; her son, Russell J. Munroe, Jr. and his wife, Christine (Neufeld) of Portsmouth, NH; five grandchildren, Aaron, Erica and Jillian Pacheco, Jessica Pratt and Brianna Munroe; three great-grandchildren, Lily Dukette, Thomas Robbins and Ryan Sulton; a brother, Ralph Stanton and his wife, Grace of Gloucester; four sisters-in-law, Betty Stanton, Dee Stanton, Marie Stanton and Cindy Asaro; her best friend, Donna Ingersoll and three generations of nieces and nephews. She was also predeceased by her daughter, Ellen M. Munroe, three sisters, Marguerite Stanton, Calvie Stanton and Marion Gilbert and eight brothers, Robert, Richard, Frederick, Thomas “Ray”, Alfred “Skip”, Charles “Butch”, Wayne and James Stanton.
Her funeral service will be held on Sunday in the First Baptist Church, Gloucester Ave., Gloucester at 1 p.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. There are no visiting hours. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her memory to Care Dimensions (formerly Hospice of the North Shore), 75 Sylvan St., Suite B-102, Danvers, MA 01923. Arrangements are under the direction of the Pike-Grondin Funeral Home, 61 Middle St., Gloucester.