Grace Marie Gaar

Grace Marie Gaar, age 94, of Lakewood, California, died Monday, April 11, 2016, at Stanton, California.

The daughter of Mary and George Horton, she was born on March 16, 1922, in Durand, Illinois. She graduated from Freeport High School and was employed at Micro Switch Corporation and Steinman Brothers Store, in Freeport, Illinois and later at Kaiser Permanente as a Certified Nuclear Medical Technologist in Harbor City, California and Kansas City, Missouri until she retired. She married Gerald ("Jerry") Gaar in Davis, Illinois on May 4, 1941, and they celebrated 60 years of marriage.

In 1963, Grace and Jerry and their family moved to San Pedro, California. Later, Grace and Jerry moved to Parkville, Missouri and then back to California, settling in Lakewood, CA. Grace was an active member of Christ Presbyterian Church in Lakewood, CA, participating in Women's Association, Bible Studies, Lydia Circle, Stevens Ministry, and as a Deacon. Grace and Jerry also delivered Meals On Wheels for many years in Lakewood, CA.

Since early 2014, she resided at Rowntree Gardens in Stanton, CA, where she received loving care from the excellent staff and frequent visits from her devoted sister-in-law, June Gaar.

She is survived by her son Richard (and his wife Sharon) Gaar of Parkville, Missouri; daughter Mary (and her husband Douglas) Durand of Torrance, California; son Jack (and his wife Ellen) Gaar of Newport Beach, California; brother Robert (and his wife Sharon) Horton of Las Vegas, Nevada; sister-in-law, June Gaar of Stanton, California; grandchildren Jeffery Gaar, Annika Gaar, and Katrina Gaar; and great-grandchildren Skyler Gaar, Derrienne Gaar, Daiggen Gaar, and Devyn Gaar.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Gerald Gaar; brother, Lester Horton; and sister, Luella Everson.

Memorial service will be at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, April 23, 2016, at Christ Presbyterian Church, 5225 Hayter Avenue, Lakewood, California, 90712-2398. She will be buried next to her husband in Freeport, Illinois.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Grace Gaar be made to Christ Presbyterian Church or to Rowntree Gardens Chapel (please write "Employee Appreciation Fund" on the "for" line of the check).

Christ Presbyterian Church
5225 Hayter Avenue
Lakewood, CA 90712

Rowntree Gardens Chapel
(for: Employee Appreciation Fund)
12151 Dale Street
Stanton, CA 90680