Piro, Grace Helene

Grace Helene Piro, 86, an Iowa City resident since 1952, passed away peacefully Saturday afternoon, March 3, 2012, at Mercy Hospice with family at her bedside. Grace was the beloved wife for 64 years of the late H.W. “Whitey” Piro, who passed away on April 18, 2011.

A Service of Remembrance and Celebration will be held at noon Thursday, March 8 at the First Presbyterian Church, Iowa City, with the Rev. Sam Massey officiating. A visitation is scheduled from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Lensing Funeral Home, 605 Kirkwood Ave., Iowa City. Following the funeral, her body will be donated to the University of Iowa for Research and Education with future burial at the Oakland Cemetery family gravesite.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be directed to The First Presbyterian Church, 2701 Rochester Ave., Iowa City, IA 52245; the Mercy Hospital Foundation, 500 E. Market St., Iowa City, IA 52245; or to the Hancher Auditorium Building Fund at the UI Foundation, One West Park Rd., Iowa City, IA 52242.

Grace was born on Feb. 20, 1926, in Brooklyn, N.Y., to John and Sophia Clark. She grew up in Floral Park, Long Island, N.Y. and graduated from Sewanhaka High School in 1943 where she was class president for three years and active in the performing arts. An accomplished singer and entertainer, she toured with two classmates in the “Connie, Grace and Jean Trio” in a 1944 stateside USO Tour. Grace then worked in the Executive Training Program at Gimbel's in New York City until she married Whitey on June 20, 1947, at the Methodist Church in Floral Park.

They lived in Charleston, S.C., and Salt Lake City, Utah, before arriving in Iowa City in 1952 when Whitey joined the UI Football Coaching Staff. Grace embraced Iowa City which became a permanent home where she proudly raised her family. She was a loyal daughter, devoted and faithful wife and unconditionally loved, protected and nurtured her four boys. Her two grandchildren were an absolute joy. Grace was widely known throughout the community for her kindness, care and genuine concern for friends and neighbors.

Over the years Grace worked part time for the UI Registrar's Office, the UI College of Dentistry and the UI Graduate College as a thesis checker. She then started work as a clerk at the UI Business & Liberal Arts Placement Office where she interacted with both students and corporate recruiters. Grace eventually retired in 1989 as a recruitment coordinator in the UI Career Services Office. She thoroughly enjoyed helping students prepare resumes, research companies, hone their interview techniques and present themselves in a confident, professional manner. Numerous UI graduates have mentioned to the family, with much gratitude, that “Your Mom helped me get my first job.”

Grace joined the First Presbyterian Church on Nov. 6, 1955 and she energetically served as an elder, deacon, Sunday school teacher and on several important committees. She was active for many years in the Iowa City Booster Club helping coordinate activities like Pancake Day, Stadium Clean Up and recognition banquets. Grace also served on the Babe Ruth Boys Baseball Board and helped with the Longfellow Grade School PTA. She was a KZ PEO Sister for more than 50 years and was a lively member of Town Club, Dance Club and various bridge groups in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. For several summers, Grace and Whitey helped manage the Boelter Camps in Minnesota.

For many years Grace devoted compassion, leadership and hard work to the Johnson County NAMI garage sale fundraiser. In retirement years, Grace and Whitey enjoyed golf and friendship at Fairview, evenings at Hancher Auditorium and looked forward to their annual winter getaways to Perdido Key on the Florida Panhandle. She was also a longtime member of the I-Club and the Presidents Club at the UI Foundation.

Her proudest civic involvement was helping spearhead the 1976 community wide retirement celebration honoring the late legendary pediatrician Dr. Loraine Frost at the City Park.

Grace is survived by her four sons and two grandchildren, Steve (Karen) and their children, Allison and Blake of Plano, Texas, John of Iowa City, Doug (Susanna) of Dallas, Texas, and Andy of Iowa City.

Besides her husband Whitey, Grace was preceded in death by her parents and older brothers, John and Ted. She tragically lost her mother at the young age of 14, had her father live with her family for more than 40 years, and truly admired her talented and protective brothers.

The family would like to thank Dr. Craig Champion and his Towncrest Internal Medicine staff for their tremendous care of Grace. They would also like to thank Mercy Hospital, IC Rehabilitation and Health Care, Mercy Hospice, the ever dedicated and dependable Joyce Aron, Home Instead Caregivers, her loyal and supportive coffee girlfriends, countless PEO Sisters and the absolutely wonderful South Governor Street neighbors for their kindness and care.

Online condolences may be sent to .

Published in The Gazette March 6, 2012.