Grace Teague

Clara Grace Teague passed away on May 18, 2021, at 93 years old. She was born in Sheridan, Wyoming, to Wilda and Howard Mull. She is survived by her husband of 75 years, Roy Teague; and her two children, Dennis and Janice Teague. Grace graduated from Sheridan High School in 1944. She met Roy in high school and married him just before he was shipped out in the U.S. Navy. After his discharge, they settled in Tumwater, Washington. They built a log cabin on four acres on the Sapp Road near Black Lake. They dug several wells before finding water, raised rabbits, pigeons, several goats and chickens. They cut wood off their property for a cook stove and fire place. She and Roy loved to dance and “jitterbug” at the grange halls in the area. She had a reputation for being a great baker. When Grace donated items to charity auctions, her baked goods were often eaten by volunteers before the events started! Besides her many homemaker skills, Grace was good at pinching pennies and saving money. At the end of her life, they had no debt. She was proud of her money management. She was a Depression era baby and was literally dirt poor until she was a teenager. Her family had lived for a time in a cave-like house on the Tongue River. During those early years, she rode miles on a horse to the only school in the area. Her high school graduation was a celebration of her academic accomplishments. Grace wanted a large family, but she almost lost her second child due to health problems. However, her two children gave her eight grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren! She made all of her descendants feel they were the most important people of her life. She loved games, arts and crafts, wildlife, the outdoors, bugs, and animals. As often as she could, she shared her excitement for these things with the children. She played with them as often as she had the opportunity, helped out with their sicknesses, and celebrated their birthdays, marriages and important events. For years, she and Roy were foster parents. Grace had dreamed of traveling to the places she read about in high school. This large family gave her the opportunity to see parts of the world. She visited the Philippines, China, and Italy. In Hong Kong, she saw the Jumbo Kingdom, the world's largest floating restaurant. She and Roy were avid outdoor people who loved to camp, hike, and canoe. Besides the many lakes and rivers in Washington, they went to Canada to canoe. After Roy’s retirement, they bought a float house on the North River and spent over 30 years enjoying the outdoors in the area. Grace ran marathons in the over-50 group. She made pine needle baskets as a past time, became a Raw Gourmet Chef, took painting classes, and made spider web art. She was a big fan of all of the old science fiction shows she could find on TV. She taught her family to have a great sense of humor. She liked to play tricks on them whenever she could, especially Roy on April Fools’ Day. Garage sales were her favorite shopping experiences. She volunteered over the years for Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, delivered meals on wheels, helped at the foodbank, and with the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). The local Volunteer Center presented her with a plaque from RSVP for her many years of volunteer service. For years, Grace was the secretary of the Olympia Mountaineers. She worked for the Thurston County Sheriffs’ office in the Work Release Department, where she set up home monitoring systems, monitored participants at places of employment, and helped with office work. She also helped as an Ombudsman for people in Long-Term Care facilities. For her years of community service, she was recognized by President Bush Sr. and was a 1000 Points of Life recipient. The recognition was for those who volunteer to make their communities better. A celebration of Grace's life will be held on Saturday, June 26, 2021, 3:00 p.m. at the Rock Church, 1901 SE 7th Ave., Olympia, WA 98501. Flowers are welcome, or a memorial gift may be sent to the Senior Services for South Sound from their website: www.Southsoundseniors.org Please leave condolences or share memories and photos on the Tribute Wall to the left.