Grace Anna Delaine (Saueressig) Childs, age 100 of Tracy, formerly of Rapid City, South Dakota, died Saturday, May 8, 2021 at Sunset Hospice Cottage in Worthington, MN. Memorial Services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, May 13, 2021 at Tracy Lutheran Church with a livestream at Stephens Funeral Service Facebook Page. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at church. Burial is in Black Hills National Cemetery in Rapid City, South Dakota. Facebook link and online condolences may be found at www.stephensfuneralservice.com. Memorials are preferred to Sunset Hospice Cottage in Worthington, Tracy Lutheran Church, or a charity of the donor’s choice. Stephens Funeral Service – Tracy Area Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
Grace Anna Delaine (Saueressig) Childs was born to Robert and Caroline (Anderson) Saueressig on June 10, 1920 in McClusky, North Dakota. She attended school in McClusky and Drake, ND and graduated high school in 1938. She attended Mayville State Teachers College from 1938 to 1941 and graduated with a teacher’s degree. She then taught in a country school until she left for Moultrie, Georgia and married Charles Childs, an Air Force Pilot, on July 4, 1942. She raised their four children mostly by herself while traveling around the country as an Officer’s wife and lived in Japan for 3 years while Chuck was stationed there. They retired from the service in Rapid City, South Dakota in 1959 and lived there until 2017 when they moved to Minnesota. Grace was a dedicated teacher and taught school in the Rapid City school system for over 20 years until she retired in 1982. She also loved to travel. She and Chuck traveled in a motor home all over the United States, Canada, and parts of Mexico. They also traveled to Europe twice. Grace was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and the Past Teachers Association. She was President of the General Federation Women’s Fortnightly Club. She taught Adult Literacy classes at Ellsworth Air Force Base and Sunday School at Faith Lutheran Church for many years. She was a long-time member of South Canyon Lutheran Church, and in 2017 joined Tracy Lutheran Church. She was a past matron of the Order of the Eastern Star in Keystone, SD and served as their secretary.
Grace is survived by her daughters: Connie (Norman) Peterson and Candy (Wayne) Taft, both of Storden, MN; five grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; many nieces; nephews; and countless friends around the world. She is preceded in death by her parents, husband, daughter Cara Dale, son Charles L. Childs II, two brothers, and six sisters.