Paul James Grace

Paul James Grace died Feb. 26. He was 76.

Grace was born in 1940 and raised in San Bernardino, California, the son of Mary and Hubert Grace. He attended high school there until he went to the University of California, Berkeley. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in physiology, and went on to get both an MBA from the University of Arkansas and a master's degree in engineering at the University of Southern California. He met his wife, Toby Grace, at Cal Berkeley and they were married in 1965 in Carmel, California. He joined the United States Air Force after college and served in the military for 20 years in munitions safety, retiring as a major. During his service, he served in Vietnam and traveled extensively living in places such as Minnesota, Colorado, Germany, Alabama, North Dakota, Korea, Hawaii, Florida and Virginia.

After serving in the military, Grace had the opportunity to join Aerojet and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. He not only took pride in his work, but he also was truly invested in his projects and the friends that he made during his time with both companies. He was an avid CAL sports fan and member of the Cal Alumni Grid Club -- Go Bears! Some would say he literally bled blue and gold. He attended every game with his Theta Chi fraternity brothers and his wife, Toby, until she passed of cancer in 2007.

He then met Kim Smith in 2009 and enjoyed sharing his traditions with her. They were married in 2015 in Sacramento, California. Grace was also a devoted traveler, traveling the world by cruising to destinations such as Tahiti, Greece, Hawaii, Alaska, the Panama Canal and the Caribbean. He brought friendship and happiness to everyone he knew. He will be greatly missed and remembered forever. He truly represents an Amazing Grace.

He is survived by his wife, Kim Grace; daughters, Kelly Greenlee and Kristy Carlile; grandchildren, MacKenzie Greenlee, Ben and Amanda Carlile; sister, Jan Kinder; and many close friends.

A private funeral service was recently held. A celebration of life will be held on March 22 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1606 Champion Oaks Drive, Roseville, California.