Grace Marshall (Photographer: Lee Bennett)
by Angela Ford
Grace was born December 6, 1915, in Lowell, Mass. She joined Lowell Church by baptism at age 14, then graduated from Lowell High School. She started working at New England Sanitarium, Stoneham, Mass., as a nurse’s aide. While employed there, she met Clinton Marshall who worked as an orderly. In 1935, they married in Lowell.
Over the years, Grace worked in food service along with her husband for: Atlantic Union College, South Lancaster, Mass.; Pioneer Valley Academy, New Braintree, Mass.; Avon Park Hospital, Avon Park, Fla.; Forsyth Memorial Hospital, Tallahassee, Fla., Blue Mountain Academy, Hamburg, Penn.; and Forest Lake Academy, Apopka, Fla.
The Marshalls moved to Florida in 1970. An automobile accident in 1978 left Clinton a quadriplegic. Grace had to learn to drive a car, pay bills, and write checks while devoting her time to Clinton’s care until he died in 2002.
Grace’s sister, Fern Smith, joined her at Florida Living Retirement Community, Apopka, Fla., where they lived together, made a lot of memories, and were inseparable. After Fern’s death, Grace moved in with her grandson, Randy Ford, and his wife, Angela. She started attending church with them at Spring Meadows Church in Sanford, Fla.
“The key to a long life,” says Grace, “is eating healthy, walking daily, and going to church.” She enjoys listening to hymns and watching programs on 3ABN and the Loma Linda Broadcasting Network.
Grace has two sons: James and Fred. Her oldest child, Grace Marilyn Ford-Keifer, passed away in 1973. She has nine grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.
Grace was born December 6, 1915, in Lowell, Mass. She joined Lowell Church by baptism at age 14, then graduated from Lowell High School. She started working at New England Sanitarium, Stoneham, Mass., as a nurse’s aide. While employed there, she met Clinton Marshall who worked as an orderly. In 1935, they married in Lowell.
Over the years, Grace worked in food service along with her husband for: Atlantic Union College, South Lancaster, Mass.; Pioneer Valley Academy, New Braintree, Mass.; Avon Park Hospital, Avon Park, Fla.; Forsyth Memorial Hospital, Tallahassee, Fla., Blue Mountain Academy, Hamburg, Penn.; and Forest Lake Academy, Apopka, Fla.
The Marshalls moved to Florida in 1970. An automobile accident in 1978 left Clinton a quadriplegic. Grace had to learn to drive a car, pay bills, and write checks while devoting her time to Clinton’s care until he died in 2002.
Grace’s sister, Fern Smith, joined her at Florida Living Retirement Community, Apopka, Fla., where they lived together, made a lot of memories, and were inseparable. After Fern’s death, Grace moved in with her grandson, Randy Ford, and his wife, Angela. She started attending church with them at Spring Meadows Church in Sanford, Fla.
“The key to a long life,” says Grace, “is eating healthy, walking daily, and going to church.” She enjoys listening to hymns and watching programs on 3ABN and the Loma Linda Broadcasting Network.
Grace has two sons: James and Fred. Her oldest child, Grace Marilyn Ford-Keifer, passed away in 1973. She has nine grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.