PACE, Montez (Tess)

The White Mountain Independent, Show Low, Arizona ~ 02/17/2015 Montez “Tess” Frost Pace, 84, of Show Low died the morning of Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2015, peacefully surrounded by her family. She was born May 24, 1930, in Snowflake to Jessie Clifford Frost and Henrietta Hall, the seventh of eight children. Tess married Gerald E. Pace in 1946 in Holbrook, and they had four children: Jerry Frank Pace, Martha “Marty” (Kevin) Colvin, Lynette (Gordon) Langford and Roy (Deena) Pace. She was preceded in death by her husband, Gerald, all of her siblings, son Jerry and son-in-law Gordon. Tess was a military wife and spent time in Alaska, Maryland and California before settling in Show Low to raise her family. In 1970, Tess relocated to Tempe, where she worked for Valley Bank. After retiring, she was one of the owners of River Bottom Bar in Florence and there she made many friends from all over the world. After her tenure at River Bottom, she took some time traveling to places, including the southern United States and Kino Bay, Mexico. One of her fondest memories was the trip she took to England with her eldest daughter to visit dear friends. Her final years were spent at Copper Village in Mesa. Tess is survived by 14 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren. Tess was someone who always lived life to the fullest. She was generous to a fault and fiercely loyal. Tess always made those around her feel welcome. She touched the lives of many during her life and will be greatly missed. “We will miss her attitude and jokes but look forward to the day when we will be with her again.” Services are being held Saturday, Feb. 21, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 580 N. 9th St., in Coolidge. A viewing will be held from 9-10 a.m., followed by funeral services at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow and will be held graveside at Valley Memorial Park Cemetery, 6894 E. Highway 287 in Coolidge. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Tess Pace’s name to the Humane Society of the White Mountains, P.O. Box 909, Lakeside, AZ 85929.