(Member Of West Clinton Mennonite Church)
Grace Evelyn (Waidelich) Kinsey, 84, of Archbold, passed away peacefully on Jan. 3, 2024 at Defiance Inpatient Hospice.
Grace was born Aug. 18, 1939 in Wauseon, Ohio, to Arthur and Vera (Nofzinger) Waidelich. She married Ray Kinsey on Nov. 6, 1960, who preceded her in death Dec. 27, 2013.
Grace accepted Christ and was baptized at 11 years old and was a lifetime member of West Clinton Mennonite Church.
There she taught Sunday School, Bible School, and worked with the Wayfarers and MOPS groups. She was also a member of the Women’s Mennonite Sewing Circle, which was a favorite mission for her.
Grace enjoyed cooking, baking, sewing, gardening, and singing with Ray. They also enjoyed traveling together in their motorhome.
She spent many hours in her flower gardens and often shared flower arrangements with friends and neighbors. She was a regular volunteer for 30 years at the Care and Share Gift & Thrift store.
Through the years, she wrote weekly letters to the children when they lived elsewhere, and to other relatives and friends.
In her later years, she enjoyed making and sending cards for birthdays and other important events in people’s lives. In addition to her husband, Grace was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Marvin and Virgil, and sisters-in-law Letha, Marilouise, and Arvilla.
She is survived by two sons, Randy (Kelly) of Avon Lake, Ohio, and Wesley (Michelle) of Archbold, and three daughters, Karen (Dennis) Kelley, of Carolina Shores, NC, Janet (Keith) Myers of Stryker, and Julie (Jay) Boykin of Caldwell, TX; 12 grandchildren and two great grandchildren. She is also survived by brother Gene (Mary Alice) Waidelich and two sisters, Marjorie (Charles) Gautsche and Donna (Lyle) Friesen, all of Archbold.
Visitation will be Saturday, Jan. 6 from 2-6 p.m. at West Clinton Mennonite Church in Wauseon, Ohio. The memorial service will be held on Sunday, Jan. 7 at 4 p.m, also at West Clinton. A private family burial will precede the service.
The family suggests memorials be given to Gideons International, Mennonite Central Committee, or CHP Hospice of Defiance. www.ShortFuneralHome.com