Grace Dufour Bunce's Obituary
Grace (Dufour) Bunce of Mandeville, Louisiana died peacefully at home with her family beside her on February 28, 2015.
Grace was born in Trenton, Illinois on May 31, 1933, one of five children of Joseph P. Dufour of Madawaska, Maine and Beatrice (Heuer) Dufour of Lebanon, Illinois. She attended the Academy of Notre Dame high school in Belleville, Illinois, graduating in 1951. After working as a medical secretary in Carbondale, Ill., she sought adventure and employment in Europe, finding work with Air Force OIS and again as a medical secretary in Wiesbaden, Germany where she met her future husband, Air Force chaplain’s assistant David J. Bunce. They were married at St. Clare’s Church in Basel, Switzerland on January 16, 1959. Grace and her husband moved to Buffalo, N.Y. and started a family, eventually settling in Louisiana in 1967. In addition to raising her four children, she was an advocate for smoking cessation, teaching classes and helping many to healthier lives. She is also remembered as a masterful Scrabble player, a passion she shared with a select few friends, and for few were her equals at the board. Grace was very involved with her church, Mary Queen of Peace in Mandeville, serving as greeter, usher, and a member of the Newcomer’s Ministry.
Her love and devotion to her husband and children will be dearly missed, for she possessed a very rare blend of enthusiasm and equanimity that guided her family through life’s inevitable tribulations.
Grace is survived by her husband David J. Bunce, her son and daughter-in-law, Christopher Bunce and Dolores Olivarez of Indianapolis, IN; her daughter and son-in-law, Jennifer Maurice of Mandeville, La; and Bruce Maurice of Destrehan, La; her son Eric Bunce of Mandeville; her daughter and son-in-law, Carla and Clyde Ponthieux of Mandeville; her sister Joan Whealen of San Antonio, TX; her sister-in-law, Jane Bunce of Philadelphia, Pa; and six grandchildren, John and Cassie Maurice of Metairie, La; Brian Maurice of Metairie; Claire Bunce of Indianapolis, IN; Amelia Bunce of Indianapolis, Alexander Bunce of Indianapolis, and David Ponthieux of Mandeville.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Beatrice Dufour, her brother, Father Rene Paul Dufour, OMI, and her Sisters, Carol Maloney and Mary Sutton.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Burial Mass at 2:00 PM on Saturday, March 07, 2015 at Mary Queen of Peace, 1501 West Causeway Approach Mandeville, LA 70471. Visitation will begin at 12:00 PM to service time.
Interment in St. Joseph Abbey Cemetery St. Benedict, LA.
In Lieu of flowers donation may be made to a charity of your choice in her name.
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