Grace Marie Riffe

Grace was born into a large family of twelve siblings, of which she was the eigth child. She is predeceaced by six of her siblings (in age order): Irean Madden, Velma Givens, WD Mitchell, Earl Mitchell, Ellie Ratliff, and Easter Dawson. She is survived by five siblings: Mildred Thomas, Polly Lake, Shirley Braswell, Shelia Pickels, and her youngest sister Sue Murray. Grace had four children. Three have predeceaced her: Alan "Lucky" Thomas, Doug Thomas, and Billy Thomas. She is survived by her son, Wiley Thomas. Grace's parents were Wiley and Floria Mitchell, who are deceaced. Grace is survived by nieces and nephews.

Grace was born on the gulf coast in Semmes, Alabama. She is of Apache and Cherokee decent. She has moved to other states for a few years at a time, whether for her jobs or her husband's jobs, but she came back to her home state of Alabama. She was married three times, and they have predeceaced Grace.

Grace was a very loving and generous person. She became a Jehovah's Witness when she got baptized in 1991. She had a very strong love for the brotherhood of Jehovah's people. Even before she became a Witness, she already had a fondness of the Bible and read it daily. Her faith in the resurrection hope was strong and she looked forward to welcoming her children and siblings back to life on the Earth. While she endured various illnesses and ailments, nothing detered her love for Jehovah and doing His will.

To quote a dear friend, "Grace was so genuine, humble, refreshingly positive, eager to listen with a mindset of support. She was always ready to agree and to commend whoever she encounters." She loved her neighbors and her neighbors loved her. They checked on her constantly to be of help in anyway they could, as she had done the same to them. After her father died, Grace was a caregiver to her mother. When she became the person who needed support, her personality did not change. Grace continued to be a sweet and loving lady who appreciated help and the people who gave it. She loved to crochet and she made several blankets and dolls, even clothing items for the people in her life. She recently finished a pink blanket for a baby girl. When she passed, she was crocheting a blanket for a child that lived next door to her. That child is using the unfinished gift as a scarf and loves it. Grace loved doing things for other people.

While Grace died happy and content, her community feels her loss and misses her greatly. In 2014, Grace met Lynn Rodriguez. They quickly became best friends, despite their almost 20 year difference in age. Lynn became her primary caregiver. However, Grace always thought of Lynn as the daughter she never had. In the midst of handling Grace's end of life affairs, Lynn has had the pleasure of learning new things about our dear friend Grace. Grace always looked forward to the future paradise, when many ones, like her, will be resurrected. She promised Lynn they would go horseback riding on the beach when she is blessed with perfect health.

ARRANGEMENTS BY
WOLFE-BAYVIEW
FUNERAL HOMES
& CREMATORY, INC.
2551 SOUTH McKENZIE STREET
FOLEY, AL  36535
(251) 943-2391