Marie Louise Gracia (Grace) Eckel (née Lefebvre), 1937-2021, passed away August 25, 2021, at Bethell Hospice in Caledon, Ontario, after a long battle with COPD and CHF. Mother of Leslie (Sandy van Solm), Lisa, Kim (Russ Clarke), and Ron (Laura Brady) and loving, doting grandmother to Sidney and William Saint, Sierra and Jessie Eckel-Foster, and Griffin and Joey Brady-Eckel. The first of three Lefebvre children of Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan, Grace was the daughter of Faida and Georgina (Baril) Lefebvre and is survived by her sister Vivian (Gary Norton) Burlington, Ontario, and pre-deceased by sister Therese (Elmer Neubeker) Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan. Her early years were marked by poverty and hardship but through her characteristic tenacity, she rose above her early circumstances and attended college in Regina. A proud registered nurse by trade, she was a member of the Regina Grey Nuns Hospital School of Nursing class of ’59. Upon graduation, Grace embarked on her lifelong love of travel with a six-month trip through Europe with her sister Viv followed by stints in Banff and California where she worked and played before returning to Canada to marry Leonard Eckel (divorced, 1996) and starting her family. She was a loving mother and an amazing grandmother who will be missed by all who knew her, including the family dogs Sasha, Ruby, Tucker, Spirit, Ranch, and cats Lucy, Bubelah, Shannie, and Riley, all of whom gave Grace endless love, joy, and kisses. If desired, memorial donations made to Bethell Hospice would be appreciated.
The family will receive their friends at the Egan Funeral Home, 203 Queen Street S. (Hwy. 50), Bolton (905-857-2213) on Monday afternoon from 4 – 6 o’clock. Please click the link to register a time.
Funeral Mass will be held in Holy Family Roman Catholic Church, 60 Allan Drive, Bolton on Tuesday, August 31 at 2 o’clock. Please click the link to register and choose Grace Eckel (Mass) where prompted in the “Service” dropdown box. The Funeral Mass is limited to 150 attendees including family members.
Followed by cremation.
Family and friends are invited to share their memories or make a donation online at bethellhospice.org/.
Condolences for the family may be offered at www.EganFuneralHome.com.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Marie Louise Gracia Grace Eckel nee Lefebvre 2021..
Death notice for the town of: Bolton, Province: Ontario