Grace Elizabeth Clemons (Moore)

Grace Elizabeth Moore Clemons
Grace died Thursday, September 15, 2022 in Clare, Michigan, at the age of 102 ½ , under the care of Medilodge after a 7 year bout with dementia and two cases of COVID-19.

She was born at the family farmhouse in Lutts, Tennessee to Walter M. and Elsie (nee. Linville) Moore the 6th of March 19&20 (as she always said).

Growing up on the farm brought lots of chores: planting and tending to the garden, pet goats (Blacky), horses, sheering sheep and many more to keep the farm going. Fun activities included porch singalongs, riding wagons to church picnics & neighbor sit-ins for Halloween.

Grace attended Cheatham and Pinhook (one room schoolhouses) until leaving the home to attend Collinwood High School. Staying with other family members, being the first in her family to graduate in 1938.

After graduation, she married J.T. Martin June 1939 in Florence, Alabama. 1940 brought daughter Phyllis “Jeanette”. The family temporarily moved to Memphis, Tennessee to find work. Looking for better work during WWII, they settled in Detroit, Michigan. Helping with the war effort, Grace took a job at Willow Run Airport making airplanes (an original Rosie Riveter), along with running a boarding house in downtown Detroit, the area which is now part of Wayne State University.

Soon divorce occurred and she met Charles (Buck) Clemons. They married March of 1947. Two years later brought another daughter, Rhea Louise. Grace later worked for J.L. Hudson Warehouse in downtown Detroit. Upon her retirement in 1982, they sold the Detroit home and moved to Farwell, Michigan, with a winter home in Riverview, Florida. Making the trip for 20 years became harder as the years went on. They sold the home in Florida and remained in Michigan. Upon losing Buck in 2005, she stayed mostly in Milford, Michigan with her sister, Bonnie. She eventually bought the home from Bonnie and remained there until going under care in 2015.
Grace loved reading, gardening, flowers, quilting, garage sales, playing cards, and most of all, her family.

Grace is preceded in death by husbands, JT Martin and Charles Clemons; brother Raymond Moore; sisters, Ruth Moore and Bonnie Bellinger; great grandson, Robert Rousseau II.

She is survived by daughters, Jeanette (the late Fred) Rousseau, Rhea (Tommy) Emery; 12 grandchildren; 28 great grandchildren; 13 great-great grandchildren; sister-in-law Christine Moore, and many nephews and nieces.

Visitation for Grace will be held Saturday, September 24, 2022 from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm with the funeral service at 4:00 pm at Manns Family Funeral Home, 17000 Middlebelt, Livonia 48154.

Burial and committal service will take place Monday, September 26, 2022 at 1:00 pm at Milford Memorial Cemetery, 1410 Wixom Trail, Milford 48381.

Memorial donations in memory of Grace may be made to Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Michigan Chapter, 25200 Telegraph, ste. 100, Southfield 48033 or https://www.alz.org/gmc