Grace Eunice Sturm Protheroe, a longtime Hoquiam, Washington, area resident, died on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020, in Hoquiam.
She was born on Sept. 9, 1926, in Camrose, Alberta, Canada, to Rev. Ole and Eva Leah (Hawkes) Larson. Her father was a “conference missionary” and she was raised and attended school in various parts of Canada, Oregon and Seattle, Washington, areas.
Her family moved to the Seattle area in 1934 and to Hoquiam in 1942, for her father to pastor the Immanuel Baptist Church, in her sophomore year, then to Clatskanie, Oregon, to graduate.
Grace attended Bethel College for a short time, then on March 21, 1945, in Clatskanie, she was married to Robert Richard Sturm while he was serving with the United States Navy. Robert died on May 28, 1997.
Following their marriage, they made Hoquiam their home, raising three boys, Richard R. “Rick” (deceased), Douglas P. and Robert E. “Bob.” All three were active in Hoquiam schools sports activities.
Grace and Robert owned and operated the Viking Sewing Center, located on 7th Street in Hoquiam, in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Bob sold and repaired the Viking sewing machines. Grace had the fabric department and taught women how to use the machines successfully. She also taught sewing for the Adult Extension Program for about five years.
Grace devoted the rest of her adult life to taking care of her family, reading, knitting, baking, walking with her friends, including her closest neighbor, Mary Olesen, also her trips to Minnesota, England, Europe, Ethiopia and Israel. She was a longtime member of the Immanuel Baptist Church of Hoquiam. She was involved with the Grays Harbor Christian Women’s Connection, the church Bible studies, active in other activities and hosted a prayer group in her family home. She supported missionary efforts throughout the world. Her real, longtime goal was always to please her Lord and Savior in all that she did.
Grace was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Halo (Merall) Thompson; five brothers, Gordon, Sydney, Dwight, Glen and Paul Larson; three grandchildren, John, Mark and Christine Sturm and her husband, Robert Richard Sturm.
Grace Eunice Sturm was married to Jeff Ed Protheroe on July 26, 2003, at the Immanuel Baptist Church in Hoquiam. He died on Nov. 9, 2015.
Grace is survived by two sons, Douglas P. of Aberdeen and Robert E. (Jane) of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; her sister-in-law, Paula Elder; her daughter-in-law, Barbara Sturm; five grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren and other relatives to include Ed’s family; Jeff Protheroe (Liz) of Hoquiam, William Protheroe of Arizona, and Nancy Benner (Skeeter) of Hoquiam.
The family requests memorial gifts are sent to the Immanuel Baptist Church building fund, P.O. Box 703, Hoquiam, Washington, 98550.
Visitation was at the Coleman Mortuary, 422 5th St. in Hoquiam. Private interment was held in the Sunset Memorial Park in Hoquiam.
The celebration of her life will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, Feb 22, 2020, at the Immanuel Baptist Church, 1200 Soule Ave. in Hoquiam, with Pastor Kent Gravley officiating.
Please take a few moments to record your thoughts for the family by signing the on-line register at www.colemanmortuary.net.
