Obituary of Mary "Gracie" Janson

Mary Grace Janson

Mary Grace Janson (Emmons), 79, who resided in Palm City, Florida for the past seven years, died August 4, 2014 at The Hospice Center of Fort Pierce, Florida.

Gracie, as she was known to friends and family, was born to Manford Emmons and Maria Guadalupe Navidad in Buckeye, AZ as the tenth of 13 children. She is preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Ulf Orvar Janson; her eldest son Nils Orvar Janson; and some of her siblings. She is survived by her son, Lars A. Janson (Karen), and her granddaughter Chloe of Sewall's Point, FL; her brothers George, Charles and Bert Emmons all of Arizona; and sisters Esther Papin and Gloria Parks of California and Arizona respectively.

A graduate of the Arizona State University Education department, Gracie was an adventurer who headed to Baranquilla, Colombia to teach at the private Karl C. Parrish School in her early twenties. She met Ulf there and spent 27 years in Colombia before returning to the United States to live in Miami with her family. A devout Catholic, she was a Eucharistic Minister and catechism teacher at St. Louis Catholic Church in Miami, FL for numerous years.

Gracie was a teacher at her core and never encountered a craft she did not like to try: origami, ornaments, wreaths, and jewelry making, to name a few. In her later years, scrapbooking was her favorite pastime and she would lovingly spend hours per page capturing and memorializing important family moments to be cherished for generations.

Her winning smile, sense of humor, willingness to always share her knowledge with others, and her tales of traveling to faraway destinations will be remembered by her family and friends.

Mass of Christian burial will take place Monday, August 11, 2014 at 10:00AM at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, located at 1454 SW Mapp Road in Palm City. A burial will follow at

Forest Hills Memorial Park in Palm City, FL.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Gracie's name may be sent to Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, Liturgical and Vestments, PO Box 916, Palm City, FL 34991. A guest registry may be signed on www.foresthillspalmcityflorida.com.