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Grace Donaldson, Wynnewood, OK, beloved wife and mother passed peacefully from this world on Sunday evening, November 29, 2020.
Grace is survived by her husband of 66 years: Dr. Erle Conrad Donaldson, her five children and three grandchildren, Vincent Donaldson, Tulsa; Julia Donaldson, Wynnewood; Carolyn Morgan (Jon) Bartlesville; Linda Clanton (Doug) Ft Smith, and Frank Donaldson (Elvia) Harlingen, Texas; and three grandchildren, Seth Morgan (Claire) Duke University, NC; Lindsay Morgan, Tulsa and Melanie Woods, (Morris) Chicago.
Grace arrived in this world on March 3, 1931, in Charlotte, North Carolina, but was raised between Columbia and Charleston, South Carolina, where she graduated from Bishop England High School as Valedictorian. She received a full scholarship from Governor James Byrnes’ Foundation to study Art Education at the University of Georgia. In the summer of 1950 she took a summer course at The Citadel, Charleston, SC, and saw Erle for the first time as he walked across the parade field of The Citadel toward her on the day that summer classes began. Erle walked up to her and introduced himself. This began a romance that has lasted more than 70 years. After graduation from U. Georgia, she taught at a high school in Charlotte, NC, for two years before becoming a bride in Charleston, SC, in August 1954. Soon after, the young couple moved to Houston, Texas, where Erle began his working career at an oil refinery.
Her first four children were born in Houston. The family moved to Bartlesville in December 1961. She constructed an art studio in her home and taught private art lessons while attending the University of Tulsa and graduating with a Master of Fine Arts. For her MFA research she had the Handicapped Club of Bartlesville visit the Philbrook Museum in Tulsa to help her advise the Managers of Philbrook Museum on adjustments that were necessary to bring the Museum up to code with the newly passed American Disabilities Act, (such as the removal of barriers and design of discrete ramps to make the Museum accessible to physically disabled and blind patrons).
She also studied Art Therapy during this time. One of her art therapy clients, a veteran, recovered from the loss of a leg and went on to become a Commercial Artist. Another client, a young child who had stopped speaking as a toddler, suddenly began speaking again after several months of art therapy. The child went on to a full recovery. These are just two examples of the difference art therapy has made in people’s lives. Grace was wonderful at it, and she loved doing it.
In 1983 she moved to Norman with Erle who accepted a Professorship in Petroleum Engineering at OU. There she had a studio in her home for artwork and also obtained a degree in Social Work and began work at the Pauls Valley School for Disabled Persons (later the OK Southern Resource Center) until 1996, when she retired.
In summers and fall for more than three decades, she and Erle traveled around the 48 States in their motorized recreation vehicle.
Grace loved life and lived it well.
The funeral for Grace will be at 2pm on Thursday, December 3, 2020, in the Wynnewood United Methodist Church, (204 S. Robberson Avenue, Wynnewood, OK 73098).
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