MILFORD – Grace Louise Thomas Messick passed away peacefully on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017 at Milford Place in Milford, surrounded by her Milford Place family.
Grace was born in Milton on Oct. 29, 1923 on the Draper Island Farm near Broadkill Beach. She was the daughter of the late John T. Thomas, Sr. and Anna Bennett Thomas. Grace was the youngest of 13 children, and was the last surviving.
She graduated from Milton High School in 1941 and was the Salutatorian of her class.
Grace married Lester 'Lec' Messick in 1943 and they purchased a dairy farm outside Milford shortly after. Grace worked alongside Lec on the farm, driving tractors and milking cows until he passed away in 1990.
In addition to working on the farm, Grace began working full-time at the Milford Trust Company in 1943. Over her career with Milford Trust Company she held the positions of Assistant Trust Officer, Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary. She continued working at the bank as it merged with, and became known as, the Bank of Delaware in 1982. Upon the merger, Grace was promoted to Branch Administrator, third desk, a position she held until she retired in 1984, after 41 years of service.
Grace was an avid bowler and bowled on a Senior League at Milford Bowling Lanes until well into her 80's. Her other hobbies included canning and freezing vegetables and fruits, reading, doing crossword and word search puzzles, doing needlework and working in her yard. She also enjoyed having breakfast with her friends at McDonald's and Hardee's.
Grace was a member of the Milford Church of the Nazarene, where she attended regularly. She served as a greeter and assisted with counting the offering until recent years when her health began to decline.
Grace served on the Southern States Farm Home Advisory Committee and was past chairman until the time of her passing. She assisted with their Christmas celebration in the winter and their Customer Appreciation Event in the summer until she became unable to do so due to her health.
In addition to her parents and husband, Grace was preceded by her half-brothers, Arlie Thomas, Paris Thomas, John Thomas, Jr. and Leonard Bennett; half-sister, Frances Hitchens; brothers, George Thomas, Herman Thomas, William E. 'Billy' Thomas; sisters, Evelyn Reed, Laura Lovenguth, Dorothy Manship, Anna Lofland; nephews, Robert 'Bobby' Thomas and William H. 'Billy' Thomas; and nieces, Donna Lee Willey, Helen Callahan, Louise Marshall and Clara Warrington.
Grace is survived by nieces and nephews, Grace Johnson, Betty Evans, Robert Lofland, Loretta Rogers, Ronald 'Ronnie' Thomas, Martin Manship, Jr., Meretta Truitt, Bertha Savage, John Manship, Charles Lovenguth, Kay Imhof, Patsy Riddleberger, Ruth Ann Fitzgerald, Ethel May White, Rose Warren, Donald Derrickson, Richard Derrickson and William Derrickson; a niece-in-law, Janice Thomas; and several great nieces and nephews, including her great-nieces who looked after her, Debbie Kresse and husband Brian, and Annette Miller and husband Dean. She is also survived by special friends, Betsy Moore, Carolyn Tucker, Eleanor Ellingsworth, Ruth Ann and Tony Abbate, her Milford Place family, and a host of other dear friends.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017 at 1 p.m. in the chapel of Berry-Short Funeral Home, 119 NW Front St., Milford, DE 19963, with a visitation beginning at 12 p.m. Interment will be at Lincoln Cemetery immediately following the funeral.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Grace's memory may be sent to Milford Church of the Nazarene, 11 NW Salevan Place, Milford, DE 19963.