Obituary of Roger Gracey

Roger Gracey at the age of 77, died  August 7^th  in Creston Hospital after a long battle with cancer. His wife Barb of 53 years and son Chris were with him in his final journey.

 

Roger was predeceased by his mother Echo (nee Dangerfield) and father Jim Gracey and brothers Jimmy, Jack, Art, Fred, and Pat all of  Manyberries Alberta. Rogers surviving brother Bert and his wife Penny reside in Calgary.

 

Roger is survived by his wife Barb of Creston, his son Chris (wife) Christina and their children Julianna and Kathleen of Calgary Alberta, daughter Morie (spouse) Brian Gyorfi and their children Shaena, and Aaron of Terrace, BC and many nieces and nephews.

 

While residing in Yellowknife, NWT he experienced the devastating loss of his son James in 1986 at the age of 9 years old. Roger was very proud of his children and grandchildren and enjoyed their visits but other than the odd trip to Terrace or Calgary he did not enjoy leaving the comfort of home for any travel in his later years.

 

Roger served in the Royal Canadian Air Force at various locations for 33 years and retired to a hobby farm in Creston with wife Barb in 1992. During his younger years, Roger spent many of his recreational days hunting and fishing. A spirited debate over a drink would elicit his opinion on any topic and would be end with a good joke and a laugh.  He loved animals and they loved him. The dogs and cats in his life either lay on the floor beside him or would otherwise be on his knee.  He had a quiet sense of humour and was known to pull elaborate (sometime days in the making) pranks on family and friends just to get a chuckle. He always had a toothpick in his mouth and the grandchildren where known to walk around with a hat on and a toothpick and mimic their grandfather. We all, (family and friends) will miss him and remember him with love and a smile at the special moments we had with him.

 

Roger leaves us all with one final thought, as this was found in his wallet:

 

It's easy to cry that you're beaten - and die;

It's easy to craw fish and crawl;

But to fight and to fight when hope's out of sight-

Why, that's the best game of them all!

And though you come out of each gruelling bout,

All broken and battered and scarred,

Just have one more try - it's dead easy to die,

It's the keeping-on-living that's hard.

 

In lieu of flowers, friends wishing to make a memorial contribution may do so to the Creston Royal Canadian Legion Br.#29, PO Box135, Creston, BC, V0B 1G0.

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