1928 - 2026
Grayce Emily Abrahamson Abel entered eternity Friday morning, March 6, 2026. Her beloved sons were with her holding her hands and reading Psalms and praying over her until she peacefully took her last breath here on earth.
Grayce Emily Abrahamson was born on January 26, 1928, in Macksville, Kansas, to Alvin Luther Abrahamson and Christina Amelia Lorenzen Abrahamson. She was the youngest of eight siblings. When Grayce was in the sixth grade her family moved to St. John, Kansas. She attended St. John High School where her favorite subjects were literature, English, music, and art. After high school Grayce attended Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas, with a full tuition scholarship, a great blessing as money was scarce for her family. In college she was chosen to be Homecoming Queen in 1947, May Queen in 1949, and was elected Masterbuilder. She was a member of the Purple Robed Southwestern Choir and was active in music. Grayce graduated from Southwestern Cum Laude in 1949.
Grayce met the love of her life, Gilbert Stanley Abel, during their sophomore years at Southwestern. Stanley had just returned from the Air Force. Stanley and Grayce sat in assigned seats at the required weekly chapel and assemblies and were in adjoining seats because of their last names, Abel and Abrahamson. Grayce was 18 and Stanley was 22. They began dating and dated mostly each other throughout college. They were engaged the last semester of their senior year but Grayce wanted to wait a year to marry so she could pay off her school debts and help her parents. She took a job teaching English and home economics at the nearby town of Hudson, Kansas. As soon as school was out, Stanley and Grayce were married in St. John on May 28, 1950.
Grayce and Stanley spent their first married years in Lincoln, Kansas, where their daughter, Kathleen, and their son, Van, were born. Later they moved to Osborne, Kansas, where their son, Doran, was born. Stanley was in school administration. They moved 17 years later to Junction City, Kansas, and it was there that Grayce began her time as a real estate agent. Finally, they moved back to Winfield where Stanley grew up and where they had met at Southwestern. Stanley died in August of 2020.
The home of Grayce and Stanley was characterized by love for each other, love of neighbor, humor, and deep reverence for and trust in God. They attended church regularly and bowed before God before meals. They were always eager to help others in need. Grayce would make her famous pumpkin pies and deliver them to friends and neighbors. She befriended a neighbor in Junction City, who would not answer his door to her knock, by leaving homemade baked goods on his doorstep. As a real estate agent, she also befriended many clients.
The most important event of Grayce’s life occurred in 1950, when she received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior in the little country church near Winfield, United Brethren Church, where Stanley’s parents were members. Grayce taught Sunday school in almost every church in which she was a member. She was a leader of women’s Bible classes and held Good News Clubs in her home. Grayce was a member of Winfield Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church and a Ladies Bible Study Coordinator. But her greatest calling and joy were in being a wife, homemaker, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.
Stanley and Grayce are the parents of Kathleen Packer (Robert), son Van (Melissa) and son Doran (Christina). Their grandchildren are Daisy, Robin, Andrea, David, Royce, Lisa and Lauren. They have 16 great-grandchildren, Illyia, Nora, Miriam, Tyson, Layla, Jersey, Tessa, Abraham, Jamie, Galilee, Revere, Judah, Inez, Maddy, Jane, Benjamin and another great-grandson on the way.
Grayce was buried on Tuesday, March 10, at Pleasant Valley Cemetery alongside Stanley. Her body was buried to rise again at the Last Day, but today and for eternity she is beholding her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who loves her with an everlasting love and has welcomed her home.
