Grace M. Gilroy

Grace Gilroy died April 20, 2022 in Des Moines. A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Friday, May 20, 2022 at McLaren’s Chapel in West Des Moines with a visitation from 10 a.m. until service time.

Grace was born and raised in Rock Island, IL. In her teens, she moved to California where she lived for 45 years. The majority of her career was spent in retail customer service and management. Upon her retirement in 2020 she moved to Des Moines, IA where she lived out the remainder of her life.

Grace gave so much to EVERYONE, even strangers. She was aware of others and their needs and always put them first. Grace was always the first one to jump in and hold the door or help the mom get the stroller over the hump. She loved simple things, like a pinecone collection she gathered from walks with her grandkids. Stubborn... as I like to call it "Gilroy stubborn". If you know you know. She was the calm, the mediator, the giving ear to vent family member we all cherished and leaned on one time or another.

She is survived by her daughter, Katrina Oberle (David) and granddaughter, Kassidy of Trinidad, CO; and daughter, Emma Akrey and granddaughters, Lillie and Lexi and grandsons, Kai and Koa of Moorpark, CA; sisters, Theresa Schipp (Jim) of Tucson, AZ, Marianne Gilroy-Marquis (Rodd) of Des Moines, IA, Alice Ross of Moorpark, CA; brother, Thomas Gilroy (Stephanie) of Rock Island, IL; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Grace was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Therese Gilroy; and nephews, Joseph Nickols and Dennis Allers.

Grace was a devoted Mother, sister and friend.