Grace Darcy
Always kind, caring, thoughtful and humble; she brought her name to life with those people, animals and places whose lives she touched. Born in New York, she moved here in 1972 and lived independently in a beautiful, remote Carmel Valley canyon up a steep tire-chomping dirt road until the age of 87 – a year ago.
Carmel Valley Women's Network: Grace is front row, 2nd from right (Red blouse)
Grace founded the fabulous Carmel Valley Women’s Network and fearlessly edited and published their “take no prisoners” Carmel Valley Uproar (Issue 1 was in September 2002, headlined “Save Rippling River”).
Grace created the Paula B. Wainright Award for Peace and Justice in 2006 in honor of her long time partner. This treasured award was given to accomplished community protection volunteers (all awardees women save one). Grace was given a special life-time achievement award in 2008 by the Carmel Valley Women’s Network. The award was accompanied by a wonderful broadcast quality documentary about her life.
In the 1980’s she founded the Monterey Peninsula Professional Women’s Network with four other women, but she was considered the driving force. She edited their newsletter for the first five years.
Grace loved Opera, politics, almond butter (“I have a sweet tooth”), forests, stopping developers, keeping wild places wild and cats. Not necessarily in that order. She particularly loved caring for cats ! – and they loved her. She fiercely opposed growth in Carmel Valley and loved forests and wild places.
(On a personal note I feel especially honored to have known Grace and to have been the first gentleman invited to participate in each of her local women’s groups: The Professional Women’s Network in the early 80s and in about 2005 – the fabulous Carmel Valley Women’s Network. At one award ceremony she couldn’t stop laughing when I danced with her wearing my Santa Claus slippers.)
Grace’s son, Steve Donohue from Reno Nevada, is preparing a memorial service for her on Saturday June 11 at 10 am at Hidden Valley (Carmel Valley).
Here’s Grace’s Official Obituary —
Grace K. Darcy (1922 – 2011)
Grace K. Darcy (88), a resident of Carmel Valley from 1972 to 2010, passed away on May 28, 2011, in Reno, Nevada. Grace was born in New York on June 19, 1922. She moved to Carmel Valley in May, 1972, from New Jersey. Grace was the founder of the “Professional Women’s Network” and also the editor of its newsletter for its first five years.
Grace also worked as a free-lance writer and her articles appeared frequently in a number of Monterey County newspapers and other publications. Grace also served a stint as editor of the Carmel Valley Sun. In addition to her writing, Grace served as Chair for the Monterey County Commission on the Status of Women and was honored as “Outstanding Woman from Monterey County” by the California Commission on the Status of Women in 1988. In 1989, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors named Grace “One of the Ten Outstanding Women in Monterey County.”
Grace is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, F. Steven and Mildred Donahue of Reno, Nevada and five (5) grandchildren, thirteen (13) great-grandchildren and three (3) great-great grandchildren.
A memorial service celebrating Grace’s life will be held Saturday, June 11, 2011, at 10:00 AM at the Hidden Valley Music Seminars, Carmel Valley Road at Ford Road in Carmel Valley, California. Donations, in lieu of flowers, are suggested to the Animal Friends Rescue Project, P.O. Box 51083, Pacific Grove, CA 93950
There is an online Guest book for Grace at —
http://www.legacy.com/guestbook/montereyherald/guestbook.aspx?n=grace-darcy&pid=151672553
Thank you for your thoughtful tribute to my Nana’s life (Grace)
Look forward to meeting you and hearing more of your recollections.