James I. Grace

Grace, James I. Jim, an area businessman and noted golfer, has died July 3rd, 2005 at the age of 82. Jim was born in Charleston, S. C. At an early age Jim?s family moved to Brooklyn, N.Y. where his father worked for the New York Times. When he was in his teens Jim developed a love for the game of golf and went on to become an outstanding amateur golfer. He won the city amateur title at Bethpage at the age of 16. When Jim was in his senior year of high school, his father died. He sought employment at the New York boat yards in order to help support his mother and younger brother. During this period of his life Pearl Harbor was attacked. Jim joined the Army Air Corp and became a B-29 pilot stationed in the Pacific Theater. He and his wife, Yvonne, were married in 1947 while he was attending Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. After graduation he became a Special Agent with the FBI and moved from Washington, D. C. to Omaha, NE and then to Cleveland, OH. In 1955, tired of constant moving with his family, they decided to leave the FBI and start a new life in St. Petersburg, FL. From 1950 to 1960 Jim and his wife Yvonne had six children five boys and one girl. Jim was active in investment brokerage and real estate. He was Vice President in charge of sales in the southeast for Fidelity Investments, and later was National Sales Manager for Value Line Investments. During his later years he headed up a family owned and operated real estate business called The Grace Group, Realtors, in which his wife and children were participants. His love of golf never left him. Shortly after moving to St Petersburg, Jim became the 1956 Club Champion at the Pasadena Golf Club, and in 1967 he won the championship a second time. Golf lovers who knew Jim thought of him not just as an excellent golfer but also as a student of the game. He once played a round of golf with Arnold Palmer when Palmer was still in the Coast Guard. As a result of playing in PGA Tour Pro-Ams, Jim developed lasting friendships with some of the most famous players of his time. Among those friends were Tommy Bolt, Gary Player, Bruce Crampton, and Ryder Cup player, Skip Alexander. Skip, who at the time was Lakewood Country Club?s Golf Professional, collaborated with Jim to coach his youngest son, Bobby, who went on to win numerous local amateur titles. The Grace family is grateful to the people at Hospice of the Florida Suncoast. Their help enabled the family to keep Jim at home surrounded by his loved ones during his long illness. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Yvonne, and six children, Mike, Joe, Bill, Harry and Bobby, all of Pinellas County and Marian, of West Palm Beach, as well as six grandchildren.