Grace Delores Frances Racette, 85, died peacefully at CVPH Medical Center on June 1st, 2019, with her family by her side.

Grace was born on Jan. 24th, 1934, in Brooklyn, N.Y., the daughter of William and Alexine (Bartscherer) Seward. She graduated from Bishop McDonnell Memorial High School in Brooklyn, and from Kings County School of Nursing in 1955. Grace was a Registered Nurse, and worked at Alice Hyde Hospital, Champlain Valley Hospital, and CVPH Medical Center. She volunteered for many years at High Peaks Hospice. Grace married James Racette, a soldier from the North Country stationed at the Brooklyn Naval Yard in 1955. She moved with Jim to the North Country to raise their family. They lived in Malone, Saranac, Saranac Lake and Plattsburgh. Grace lived the last years of her life at the Champlain Valley Senior Community in Willsboro, N.Y.

Mom was a fiercely independent woman of strong opinion. She believed forcefully in the value of education and service to the community.

Left to cherish her memory are: her husband, James; and her children, Steven and his wife, Cherie of Saranac Lake; Peter and his wife Karen, of Redford; Christopher of Atlanta, Ga.; Geralynn Ransom of Kasilof, Alaska; Joseph and his wife Dorothee, of Delmar, N.Y.; Gregory and his wife, Lisa Kryger, of Wakefield, Mass.

She is also survived by grandchildren, Erin Griffin and her husband Andy Testo of Saranac Lake; Douglas Racette and his fiancee Kate Kelley, of Swampscott, Mass.; Samuel Racette and his partner Caressa Chen of Chicago, Ill.; James Racette and his partner Sarah Burger of Buffalo, N.Y.; Katie Racette of Missoula, Mont.; Louis Racette of Jinja, Uganda; Ben Ransom of Kasilof, Alaska, Madeline Ransom, of Anchorage, Alaska; Hannah Racette of Aspen, Colo.; Clara Racette and her partner Olive Swanson of Raleigh, N.C. Her brother, William and his wife, Dorothy Seward of Lakewood, N.J.

Grace was predeceased by her daughter, Alexine; her son-in-law, Jeffrey Ransom; brother Edward Seward, and her parents.

There will be no calling hours. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Bernard's Church in Saranac Lake, N.Y., on Saturday, June 8th at 1 p.m.

The family would like to thank the staff at the Champlain Valley Senior Community for excellent care in the last 3 and one-half years. We also appreciate the 5th floor of CVPH for compassion and kindness during Mom's final days.

Memorial donations to High Peaks Hospice of Saranac Lake, in care of the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home.