Obituary of Grace Katherine Schack

Grace Katherine (Little) Schack traveled to her Heavenly home in the early evening hours of August 12, 2023, at the age of 97, just four months before her 98th birthday.

She was born December 14, 1925 in Rocky Ford, Colorado, to John M. and Frances (Cole) Little, the youngest of their six children. Grace graduated from Rocky Ford High School in 1944, and worked at Safeway in Rocky Ford before moving to Oakland, California, where she worked as a data assistant in the radiation laboratory at the University of California (Berkley) for several years.

In 1954, Grace returned home to Colorado and married Harry E. Schack, the love of her life. Together with their three daughters, they built a thriving farming/ranching operation 16 miles from the small community of Karval in eastern Colorado. Harry and Grace shared almost 35 years together, until Harry passed away in 1989 after a courageous 20-year battle with Parkinson’s disease.

Although she didn’t have the opportunity to go to college, Grace recognized the value and importance of education, and she delighted in her daughters’ academic achievements. In addition to her daughters, three of Grace’s grandchildren and one of her granddaughters-in-law are graduates of Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, Oklahoma.

Grace loved to travel, and some of her most memorable journeys included trips to Israel, Africa, Russia, Guatemala, Europe, Australia, and China. Strong in spirit and blessed with good health, Grace lived independently in her own home until age 92. She was an avid reader, and enjoyed working outdoors in her yard and watching sports (especially basketball andfootball).

Grace was a faithful servant and follower of Jesus Christ, and a life-long member of the Church of the Nazarene. She cared deeply about her church’s mission activities, supporting mission projects around the world and participating in “work and witness” trips to Africa and Central America. Grace and Harry established a scholarship at Southern Nazarene University to help students to pursue their calling as missionaries.

Grace was a devoted wife, loving mother, an adoring “GG” to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren – a woman of grace, perseverance, independence, and strength. Although Grace will be greatly missed, it comforts us to know she is in Heaven rejoicing with Harry.

Grace was preceded in death by her husband, Harry; her parents; brother, John Little; sisters Alice Stockton, Julia Ellsworth, and Anna May Church; sister-in-law Grace Little; brothers-in-law David Schmidt and Grant Stockton; and son-in-law Rick Buchanan.

She is survived by her sister, Margaret Schmidt; daughters Myrna (Darrell) Latham, Annette (Richard) O’Cain, and Karla Buchanan. She also leaves behind a legacy of four grandchildren: Katie (John) Christian, Aaron (Kimberlee) Buchanan, Drew (Juli) O’Cain, and Ashleigh Buchanan; and four great-grandchildren: Brynlee Christian, Bennett Christian, Henley Buchanan, and Luke Buchanan.

The family would like to express their gratitude to New Day Cottages at Pine Creek in Colorado Springs, as well as Pikes Peak Hospice, for their gentle and compassionate care. 

Funeral Service, 2:00PM, Friday, August 18, 2023, The Springs Funeral Services - North, 6575 Oakwood Boulevard, Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Graveside Service, 10:00AM, Saturday, August 19, 2023, Bucklen Cemetery, Karval, Colorado, with the assistance of Bellwood Ustick Funeral Home in Rocky Ford, Colorado.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are suggested to Karval Church of the Nazarene, 28965 County Road South, Karval, Colorado 80823; Southern Nazarene University, 6729 NW 39th Expressway, Bethany, Oklahoma 73008; or Eswatini Partnership, Bethany First Church of the Nazarene, 6789 Northwest 39th Expressway, Bethany Oklahoma 73008.