Yvonne P. Grace

Yvonne Grace, 83, died May 30, 2008. A noted local artist, Yvonne was born July 12, 1924 in the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY. She was preceded in death by her parents Joseph and Erma Punzak, her husband James Jim Grace and her brother Robert Bob Punzak. She is survived by her six children Mike, Joe, Marian, Bill, Harry and Bobby - and her six grandchildren JP, Dylan, Ramsey, Chandler, Danielle and Brian. Yvonne Punzak grew up in an artistic family. Her parents, Joseph and Erma Punzak, met as art students at Carnegie Tech in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Punzak family moved to Brooklyn, New York where her father went to work in the advertising business. Yvonne followed her parents' example pursuing interests in the arts including acting where she won numerous awards for drama and competing and winning beauty contests. After graduation from Bay Ridge High School, she entered the prestigious Pratt Institute where she earned a degree in Art Education. After graduation, she began teaching in the New York City school system and entered Columbia University, where she earned her Masters in Fine Arts. After World War II, Yvonne joined her fiancé Jim Grace in Washington, DC where they were married in February 1947. Jim graduated from Georgetown University and joined the FBI in 1950. In September 1950 Yvonne gave birth to her first son Mike. The FBI transferred the family to Omaha, Nebraska and then to Cleveland, Ohio. In July 1952 Yvonne gave birth to her second son Joe; and in September 1954 she gave birth to her only daughter Marian. After Jim retired from the FBI, the family moved to St. Petersburg. Yvonne continued her interest in the arts establishing a locally renowned art studio named Studio 3 with two other locally celebrated artists. Yvonne's family continued to grow with the birth of her third son Bill February 1956, her fourth son Harry December 1958 and her fifth and last son Bobby April, 1960. In the summer of 1960 the family moved to their home in Pasadena Estates where Yvonne resided until her passing last Friday May 30, 2008. She died resting peacefully in her own bed with all of her children nearby. Yvonne was blessed with six grandchildren JP - 27 years old; Dylan - 25 years old; Ramsey - 18 years old; Danielle - 15 years old; Chandler - 15 years old; and Brian - 12 years old and was able to celebrate the wedding of her grandson Dylan in July 2006. Yvonne Grace led an incredibly rich life and left a legacy which included her prodigious output of original artwork and her permanent influence on all of her six children and six grandchildren. She will be missed but never forgotten. The Grace family is grateful to the people at Hospice of the Florida Suncoast. Their help enabled the family to keep Yvonne at home surrounded by her loved ones during her long illness. A funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, June 7, 2008, at Holy Name of Jesus Christ Catholic Church, 5800 15th Ave. S., Gulfport. A gathering will held at The Vinoy Place Condos, 555 5th Ave. N.E., in the lobby of Building 3 from 1-4 p.m. Family requests an R.S.V.P. to 727 458-0787. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to The Hospice of the Florida Suncoast, 5771 Roosevelt Boulevard, Clearwater, FL 33760.