WAUKESHA

Grace M. Blado returned home to the arms of Jesus on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011, at the age of 90. She passed away at Seasons Hospice in Waukesha. Grace Martha was born to Christian and Dorothy Merten (nee Brandt) on May 25, 1920, in Waukesha.

Grace was united in marriage to Harold R. Blado on July 18, 1942, at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Waukesha, where she was baptized as an infant and confirmed as a young adult. Grace was very active in many church organizations, including Eastside Circle, Ladies Aide Society, OWLS and choir. She enjoyed soloing at church services and weddings. Grace is a past member of Mount Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church and choir in Waukesha and St. Jacobi Evangelical Lutheran Church in Greenfield.

She is remembered as a devout Christian wife, mother and grandmother. A January 1938 graduate of Waukesha High School, Grace was employed as a long-distance telephone operator at Wisconsin Bell Telephone Co., and returned there after raising her family. The Blado family lived in Waukesha until their move to Reno, Nev., in 1956. In 1959, the Blados moved to Walnut Creek, Calif. They returned to Waukesha in 1965. Grace was well-known for her talent in the kitchen, particularly her German stollen. She played the piano and autoharp to the enjoyment of her grandchildren. An accomplished seamstress, Grace made many of her own clothes. She was an avid reader, and would often read aloud to many of the residents at her assisted-living facility. She was an avid crossword puzzle fan. Grace traveled to Germany twice and loved to visit her family around the United States.

She was the beloved mother of Cynthia (Charles) Newman of Huntington Beach, Calif., Peter (Adrienne) Blado of Tacoma, Wash., Jonathan (Alice) Blado of University Place, Wash., Mark (Gayle) Blado of Waukesha and Elizabeth (Timothy) Henning of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.; dear grandmother of Rachel Blado of San Francisco, Jonathan (Kellie) Newman of Fountain Valley, Calif., Emily (Martin) Slotwinski of Brookfield, Matthew (Lisa) Newman of Orange, Calif., Michelle Rice of Roseburg, Ore., Lindsey (Brian) Beaky of Lynnwood, Wash., Sarah (Guillermo) Lopez of Riverside, Calif., Megan (Jason) Bergman of Tacoma, Christopher Blado of Seattle, Leah (Michael) Johnson of Corona, Calif., Daniel Henning of Rancho Cucamonga and Kayla Blado of Madison; proud great-grandmother of Koral and Madison Newman, Xander and Elliott Beaky, and Callan Slotwinski; dear sister of Florence Smith; and sister-in-law of Martha Merten of Waukesha. She is further survived by many friends and relatives.

Grace was preceded in death by her husband, Harold, in 2002; granddaughter, Bethany Anne Blado, in 1988; sisters, Irma Scholovich and Lillian Murray; brothers, Raymond and William Merten; and her parents.

The family would like to express their deep gratitude to Grace’s dear friends at Oak Hill Terrace and Springhouse who so lovingly cared for her for so many years. Thanks to Waukesha Memorial Hospital and Seasons Hospice staffs for their kindness.

In lieu of flowers, memorials to either Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church choir or Mount Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church choir are appreciated.

Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until the noon funeral service Saturday, March 5, at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, 700 Beechwood Ave., Waukesha. Burial will be at Prairie Home Cemetery, Waukesha, immediately following the service.

Heritage Funeral Home of New Berlin, 901-1141, is serving the family. For the guest book and directions, visit online at www.heritagefuneral.com.