Grace Viola Burton McCurdy, at the age of 95, passed from this mortal existence to join her husband, family and friends on Thursday, March 3, 2022.  She passed peacefully in her sleep at the home of her daughter Carol Blanchard in Rexburg, Idaho.

Grace was born on May 25, 1926, the oldest of 10 children to John Nelson Burton and Anna Waldner Burton, in a small farmhouse 9 miles east of Vanguard, Saskatchewan, Canada.  Music, family, inclusiveness and a love of God and education were the hallmarks of her life.

Grace attended Business School in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, and later worked in the medical field.  She enjoyed working with doctors, whether transcribing operational procedures, or serving as the secretary to the hospital administrator of Calgary General Hospital.  After moving to Calgary, Alberta, Grace and her sister Norma were baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in September, 1953, joining with several other family members who had already joined the Church.  Subsequently, she met a young man, Ray McCurdy who was just becoming active.  They both served in the MIA (Mutual Improvement Association), which at that time, held a dance for about a half an hour after the weekly meeting was over.  She and Ray danced together and were chosen to dance as partners for the Gold and Green Ball.  Ray would drive Grace home, stopping for refreshments.  They soon became engaged and were married on June 9, 1954, in Calgary, Alberta.  In December 1954, their marriage was solemnized in the Cardston, Alberta Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Grace and Ray had 7 children.  During the course of their married life, the family lived many places, Edmonton, Alberta; Idaho Falls, ID; Seattle, WA; Huntsville, AL; Bountiful and then Kaysville, Utah; Wichita, KS; Ogden, Utah and they eventually retired in Heber Valley Utah to be closer to married children.  Everywhere they lived, they enjoyed association with good friends and family, many of these friendships having lasted a lifetime.  After retirement, they built a home in Charleston, Utah, on a 2-acre raspberry farm.  Grace enjoyed the property since she loved gardening and beautifying her surroundings. Ray and Grace served a Family History Mission at the Church Office Building in Salt Lake City, UT. After Ray's death in September 2000, Grace served a second mission at the Utah Salt Lake City Family History Mission.

Grace had a lifelong love of music.  She had a beautiful mezzo-soprano voice, singing many solos, duets, and participated in many choirs and chorales.  She was honored to be chosen to sing the Alto solos in Handel's Messiah with the Huntsville Community Chorus.  Grace often served as the Ward Choir Director, and was the choral director of many musicals, in particular "Promised Valley".

Grace was a loving, inclusive and giving person.  She had a strong sense of family, and welcomed many family and friends to her home.  She was known for her great dinner rolls, sharing that talent with her posterity.  She loved to dance with her husband and watch her children and grandchildren perform.  She was quite the card shark and loved a good game of Rook, or Rummikub.  She had a sharp mind clear to the end.

After Ray's death and selling their home in Charleston, Grace was able to live her remaining life with some of her children.  This was a great blessing to her, and something she greatly appreciated.

Grace is survived by her children, Brenda Joyce (Paul) Davidson; Lynnette Lorraine (David) Tedder; Cheryl Rae (Bruce) Christensen; David George (Christine); Helen Ann (Jerry) Berrett; John Charles (Deborah); and Carol Irene (Todd) Blanchard, 24 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, siblings Victor (Audrey) Burton, Joyce (Jay) Johnson, Mary Horne, Margery (Don) Hunt.  She was preceded in death by her parents, and siblings Norma Comfort, Gerald Burton, Edward Burton (Madeson Hardie), and two infant brothers who died soon after birth, Charles Burton and Jimmy Burton.

Funeral services will be held at the Hibbard 1 ^st Ward Chapel, 2001 North 3000 West, Rexburg, Idaho, Thursday, March 10, 2022, at 11:00 a.m.  A Viewing will be before the Service at 10:00 a.m.  Interment will be Friday, March 11, 2022, at 12:00 Noon at the Charleston Town Cemetery, 2800 US-189 Scenic, Heber City, Utah.  In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to https://philanthropies.churchofjesuschrist.org/humanitarian-services .

Services may be viewed at: https://my.gather.app/remember/grace-mccurdy