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It's never easy to say goodbye to some who is loved, especially when that someone is the North Beach's Grayce K. Barck, who personified New Smyrna Beach's "charm."
A big crowd turned out for her memorial service Friday at the Settler-Wilder Funeral Home with the Rev. Robert A Hann of the First United Methodist Church presiding.
Some of the people who turned out included former Mayor Sally Mackay and former City Commissioner Randy Richenbereg, both North Beach area residents; along with City Commissioner and Vice Mayor Lynne Plaskett and City Commissioners Jack Grasty and Jim Hathaway, Police Chief Ron Pagano, County Councilman Jack Hayman and NSB Utilities Commission member Jeanne Diessen. Still others included Lindsey and Tina Carr, Betty Naud, Sally Bayles, Margie Barnes, Ken and Wanda Phillips, and Sharon Ohlson.
The place was packed with former students, friends and people -- young and old alike -- who worked with Grayce, in one capacity or the other, whether it was in the public schools, community interests, politics or the environment.
Rev. Hahn talked about how Grayce liked to keep up with everything going on in the world, how she'd get up at 4 in the morning to read four newspapers and several magazines so she could stay on top of the news.
Her adventurous life was typified by the time she and two other women took off across the country in a Volkswagen Beetle.
A number of people got up to give personal testimonies about Grayce, among them, Plaskett who reminisced how they got along very well, even though she was a "Democrat" and Grayce a "Republican."
Plaskett also mentioned that when she brought Grayce a large number of blue crabs, Grayce ate every last one all by herself.
Mark Crosby with Florida Inland Waterways commented on what a live wire Grayce was, adding, “I was sure glad she liked me.”
Stewart Mitchel mentioned that Grayce told him all about his grandmother, Hanna Bonnet.
Grayce, always the teacher, would also correct Stewart’s English when needed. Betty Johnson talked about all the times she spent in Grayce’s dog house and had to clean the gym floor for punishment. The floor has never been so clean since.
Sally Bayles told her favorite story about Grayce: It seems that Grayce was a long-time friend of Hanna Bonnet. She and Hanna met in Europe, when while Grayce was teaching over there, they took off on a trip.
When they came to a small inn to spend the night, the proprietor told them they didn't cater to same-sex partners. Without batting an eye Grayce said, "Oh no you've got it wrong, she is my maid."
Next. she turned to Hanna and in a commanding voice said" Hanna, go get my luggage."
The ruse worked and they got the room.
The good times is what Grayce would have wanted everyone to remember her by and being the center of attention for laughs, not sorrow, said her husband of 40 years, Col. John Barck, D.V.M., U. S. Army (Retired).
Amen to that.