Grace Marie Clover

September 16, 1893 at the sound of a gunshot, Robert Pierce Neese and his son Robert Elza (age 11) began their run, with a team and wagon, for land in the Cherokee strip. They staked a claim for their homestead, on 160 acres, 7 ¼ miles southeast of what is now Carmen, Oklahoma. Robert Pierce and Elza built a two story, three-bedroom house (no plumbing). A year later, Harriet Adams joined her husband and son. In this same house, Grace Marie was born to Robert Elza and Byrd Grace. It was Easter Sunday, April 16, 1922. Aunt Viola Campbell and Dr. Lundlum assisted her birth. Gracie had three brothers, Robert Rufus, Wilbur Dean (Pete) and Chester Leroy (Chet), also a sister Alice Leola (Chollie). Six years later, little sister Rosemary Jane (Rosie) was born in the same house. At the age of six years, Gracie started school at Rich Valley. It was a one room school house, with eight grades. Her first teacher was Maude Livingston. The Neese children walked 1 ¾ miles to and from school. When there were snow drifts, their father would hitch the horses to the wagon, filled with hay. Their Mother could cover them with a comforter. Away they would go to school. At age 15, Gracie was baptized by Reverend Theodore Norton, into the Church of Christ, April 16, 1937. Lucille Frech, the girl who lived on the farm next to Neese's, was a life-long friend. Lucille and Gracie went through twelve years of school together. They graduated from Carmen High School in 1940. During World War II, Gracie worked at Boeing Aircraft in Wichita, Kansas. Brother Chet was in the Air Force, stationed in Iceland. He wrote Gracie about his good buddy, Franklin Ray Clover, and asked her to write to him. Frank and Gracie corresponded four years. When Frank returned to the states he flew to Wichita to meet Gracie. They went to Carmen, and spent a week at Gracie's parent's home. They became engaged and were married May 30, 1945. They lived their first year together in Scranton, PA, then moved to Aline, OK for four years. In 1950 they moved to Denver, CO. They bought their first home, 4790 Fillmore St. The Clover's have two daughters; Monica Beth, August 2, 1947, Alva Hospital, Alva, OK and Rebecca Lynn, October 29, 1950, Rose Memorial Hospital, Denver, CO. Monica's children are Rochelle Rene Mighell and Vincent Anthony Eplin. Rebecca and Lon Engelking have three children; Jennifer Lynn, Jeffery Eugene, and Julie Ann. Rochelle and Shane have a son Christian Anthony. Contributions, in memory of Grace, are encouraged to the Tennyson Center for Children at https://tennysoncenter.org or at 2950 Tennyson Street, Denver, CO 80212, 303-433-2541. Please share memories of Grace and condolence messages with her family below.