LONGACRE,
Grace Antoinette
(Maiden Name: LaBarbera)
Today's News-Herald, Lake Havasu City, AZ -
Posted: Sunday, June 8, 2014 -
Grace Antoinette Longacre (LaBarbera), 75, died of a progressive
neurological disease May 19, 2014 in Lake Havasu City. Grace was born
April 29, 1939 to Gaetano and Maria Adela LaBarbera (Prida) in Tampa,
Fla.
The oldest of four siblings, she graduated from El Rancho High School in
Pico Rivera, Calif. and a year later she entered the Convent of Sisters
of Orange. She studied religion, elementary school teaching and nursing
and received her bachelor’s degree. She left the convent after eight
years as a nun and soon had a teaching job in the El Rancho School
District. She met her husband, Terry Longacre, through teaching in the
district and they married May 23, 1970. Married for 43 years, they
raised their three children, Paul, Gina and Lizette in Buena Park,
Calif. and have been blessed with seven grandchildren and seven great-
grandchildren.
Throughout her life Grace played sports, especially softball, enjoyed
traveling the world with her family and always welcomed people into
their home. After the couples’ retirement in 1997, she and her husband
moved to Lake Havasu City and immediately became involved in the
community. Grace was very involved in Special Olympics, American Red
Cross and Senior Women’s Softball, mostly as a catcher. Her most recent
volunteering that was dear to her heart was packing for the Food For
Kidz Program which provides food to homeless children.
A celebration of life is set for 3 p.m., June 14, at the Elk’s Lodge,
3532 N. McCulloch Blvd. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to
either the Special Olympics of Arizona, 2100 S. 75th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ
85043 or the Food 4 Kidz Program, Haven Family Resource Center, 2174 N.
McCulloch Blvd., Lake Havasu City, AZ 86403.