KILMARNOCK—Patricia “Patti” Mitchell Grace, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and friend, passed away on Friday, November 10, 2023, at Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center in Mechanicsville.
Patti is survived by her husband and best friend, Robert Grace; son, Michael and daughter-in-law, Kimberly; daughter, Julie Crater and son-in-law, Jonathan; six grandchildren, Grace Crater, Hannah Grace, Harper Crater, Robert Grace, Mitchell Grace and Paul Grace; younger brother, Thomas O. Mitchell; beloved cousin by marriage, Roberta Grace; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her parents, Paul and Grace Mitchell; and her youngest brother, Paul “Mike” Mitchell of Mentor, Ohio.
Patti was born in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, where she attended Collingwood High School and later Bowling Green University. She entered the banking industry and worked at the Federal Reserve Bank in Cleveland before moving to Honolulu where she worked for the Bank of Hawaii.
After spending three years in Hawaii, her career took her to Norfolk, where she met her husband of 53 years, Robert Grace. Robert’s career moved them to Cincinnati, Ohio; Detroit, Michigan; and eventually to the Washington, D.C., area. Upon returning to Virginia, Patti worked full time in the hospitality and hotel industry with Calvert Management while also being a dedicated wife and mother to her two children.
She later took a position with Potomac Hospital as director of Foundation Services and Development in Prince William County and was known for her passion for supporting the hospital’s medical staff and its patients. She was invested in her community and served as the president and a member of the Prince William County Chamber of Commerce as well as Dumfries United Methodist Church.
In 1998, she and her husband retired to the Northern Neck. While Patti was a city-girl at heart and initially skeptical of country living, she quickly grew to love the area and the people. As an active member of Kilmarnock United Methodist Church, she joined several women’s groups and committees. She was a feisty Irish ginger who loved God and had a servant’s heart. She enjoyed sending birthday cards to church members and playing mahjongg with her friends, but most of all she loved hosting her family during vacations and holidays. Her six grandchildren were her greatest joy and she never missed an opportunity to brag about them.
A memorial service to celebrate Patti’s life will be held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, November 21, at Kilmarnock United Methodist Church with a reception to follow.
In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to the Northern Neck-Middlesex Free Health Clinic, P.O. Box 1694, Kilmarnock, VA 22482; or the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, 3033 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22201.
Currie Funeral Home LLC of Kilmarnock handled the arrangements.