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Obituary

Nancy J. Grace, 65, Avon

Nancy Grace (Photo courtesy John Fitts, Canton Patch)

Nancy Jane Grace, daughter of the late William and Joanne Grace passed peacefully at home on Oct. 2, 2024. Born in Hartford, CT on Oct. 27, 1958, she was the beloved sister of Shelly, Peter (Betsi) and Duff (Kelli) Grace and adored aunt of Matthew, Timmy, Michael, Abby, Ryan and Jack Grace and dear friend of Linda Provost, Diane Sodaro, Pam Keagan and others too numerous to mention.

Nancy grew up in Canton, CT, went to Springfield College and went on to teach at Oak Hill School, Oak Crest School in Washington D.C. and returned to teach at Canton High School in 1984 where she taught physical education and Science for the remainder of her professional career. She had the honor of being selected as Canton High School’s Teacher of the Year in 2012. At Canton High School she became a legendary award-winning coach.

Miss Grace and her teams won eight state championships in field hockey and one in softball. She was CT Field Hockey Coaches Class S Coach of the year in 1990, 1992, and 2003, and CT Sports Writers Alliance’s Doc McInerney High School Coach of the Year in 1993. In 1995 she was inducted into the Northeast Women’s Hall of Fame and a finalist for the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Coach of the Year honors in 2000. Miss Grace was part of the first inaugural class of the Canton High School Wall of Fame in 2002. In 2008, she was inducted into the CT Field Hockey Hall of Fame and was also inducted into the CT High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2012.

While Nancy was known as a fiercely determined coach who got the best out of her players, she was also a kind, caring and compassionate person who would do anything for anyone. She loved her family and friends dearly and continued to have long lasting relationships with her former players, students and their parents well into their adulthood. Her ability to have a lasting influence on everyone she met was truly exceptional and very special.

The family would like to thank Dr. Paul Sullivan and all of the staff at St. Francis Trinity Smilow Cancer Center. She loved the staff at the center who treated her with top notch care, from the valet parkers to her team of amazing nurses. Thank you to Dr. Alessia Donadio for always providing healing thoughts, hope and joy during a challenging time. We thank her colleagues, former players, former students and their parents, and friends for their kind messages, all of which were read to her.

There will be a Celebration of Life in Nancy’s honor on Saturday, Oct. 26 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Canton Fire House and adjacent field located at 14 Canton Springs Road, Canton, CT 06019. The family asks that lieu of flowers, donations be made to the “Nancy Grace Memorial Scholarship Fund”. Checks can be mailed or carried to Collinsville Bank, 227 Albany Turnpike, P.O. Box 350, Canton, CT 06019. For online condolence, please visit www.carmonfuneralhome.com.

Obituary

Collinsville Press, Oct. 4, 2024: Canton’s Hall of Fame Coach Nancy Grace Has Passed Away

Since 2009, the Collinsville Press has been providing award-winning coverage of sports and news in the Farmington Valley and across Connecticut.

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