Grace Turner Calhoun

. Grace Parsons Turner Calhoun passed away on Friday, March 9th 2012 at Margate Health and Rehab Center in Jefferson North Carolina. She was 92 years old. She was born July 30th of 1919 in Ashe County to John Alexander Parsons and Ellen Jones Parsons. She attended Riverview School. She managed the cafeteria at Warrensville Elementary School until it closed in the mid 50's. She subsequently worked in the Sprague Electric cafeteria until her retirement. Grace is preceded in death by two husbands. Her first was Quincy Turner and her second husband was James Calhoun. She is survived by one sister, Edith Roten, of Jefferson, North Carolina. She was preceded in death by her Mother and Father and three brothers, Joe Parsons who died as an infant and Conley and Jones Parsons. She was also preceded in death by three sisters, Virgie who died as an infant and Bernice Elliott and Hazel Stanley. She is survived by many nieces and nephews and grand nieces and grand nephews. Grace will always be remembered for her exuberant personality. She never saw a stranger and she always improved your spirits no matter how low your morale. She loved children although she had none of her own. She was a second mother to all her nieces and nephews and many of the children in the neighborhood. She was a homemaker and loved gardening, cooking and canning. She worked on the farm and helped with stacking hay working in the tobacco, caring for milk cattle and many other farm duties. She enjoyed teaching children how to milk cattle and do other farm chores. She was well known for her fried pies, pumpkin rolls and her sour dough bread. She was the family historian and knew more about the Parsons family than anyone else. She loved to work on quilts during the winter months and she left many fine examples of her work. She was a life time member of the Oak Grove Baptist Church in Warrensville, North Carolina. She was a Sunday school teacher for more than 30 years and she left a lasting impression on all her students. She is remembered fondly by generations for her personality and kindness. She always gave 100 percent and always managed to take her Sunday school class on one or more outings within the year. She was a devout Christian and visited other churches within and without the association. She loved to sing God's praises and was a member of a trio and later a quartet that traveled from church to church to sing God's praises. Why should we cry for a soul set free. Let us celebrate that she is now in heaven where she will reap the reward for a lifetime of service here on earth. Funeral services will be held on Sunday, March 11, 2012 at 2:00 pm at the Oak Grove Baptist Church by Rev. Tommy Dollar, Rev. Rex Eldreth and Rev. George  Grubb. Burial will follow in Ashelawn Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Saturday, March 10, 2012 at Badger Funeral Home. You may view or send condolences through our website www.badgerfuneralhome.com. Badger Funeral Home of West Jefferson was entrusted with Mrs. Calhoun's arrangements.