Grace G. Smith, 99 of Wahoo, NE, entered into eternal rest on Tuesday, December 31, 2013 at the Saunders Care Center in Wahoo, NE. She was a member of St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Wahoo. A native of Decatur, NE, she and her husband John farmed and lived in the Lyons, NE community. She was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Lyons for 61 years and moved to Wahoo on August 25, 2000.

Grace was born near Decatur, NE in the Elm Creek area on August 24, 1914 to Thornton W. and Agnes (Connealy) Gatewood. She was baptized at Holy Family Catholic Church in Decatur. She attended school at Elm Creek and graduated from Decatur High School in 1931. She attended Wayne State College and taught in the Deman, Bertha, and Dahlgren rural schools before becoming a farm wife.

She married John W. Smith of Hopkins, MO in Tekamah, NE on May 24, 1936. Two sons were born to this union, Paul Dee of Lincoln and the late James T. of Wahoo. The family lived 3 ½ miles east of Lyons until 1944 when they purchased a farm in the Jefferson Community 5 miles northeast of Lyons. Their avocation was raising and racing thoroughbred horses. Her father T.W. Gatewood trained race horses for 32 years. Her husband John and son James T. also were trainers. John passed away in 1988 and James T. in 2011. John and Grace retired and moved to Lyons in 1974.

Grace was active in Jefferson Aid, St. Joseph’s Altar Society, and The Women’s Club. She enjoyed playing bridge and bowling. In 1981, she was awarded “Woman of the Year” in Lyons. She was an avid sports fan and enjoyed following her family in high school and college sports. She kept a diary starting in 1956 and that continued until 1997.

She was preceded in death by her husband John, her parents, brothers James, Francis and John (Jack) Gatewood, a sister Kathryn Gatewood Nelson and son James T. Smith. She is survived by son Paul Dee and Sharon (Sailors) Smith of Lincoln, daughter-in-law Irene (Fisher) Smith of Omaha, seven grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren and three great great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.