Grace Marie Love Narramore passed away on June 26, 2020, after a long and courageous battle with Alzheimers.
Today, she is completely healed and rejoicing at the feet of her Jesus. Grace was born on Feb. 8, 1935, in Bryan, Texas to Jefferson Ray Love and Benita Viola Harthcock Love. Grace moved with her parents to Greenville in 1937, when her daddy joined the family in the LovKnit Manufacturing Co. Grace took her first job, while in junior high, working with her parents at the J. R. Love Co., in Celeste. She began as an office clerk, and later helped design their line of infants’ and children’s wear. Grace met the handsome and outgoing James Edward Narramore, a senior, during her sophomore year at Greenville High School…and their courtship began.
After Grace’s graduation in 1953, this courtship continued to East Texas State Teachers College in Commerce, Texas. On June 11, 1955, they were married and their love story continued for the next 65 years.
Grace and James, as newlyweds, moved to Fort Hood, Killeen, Texas, when the U.S. Army called him into service. During this time, Grace served as secretary to State Senator Edgar Hutchins, Jr. in his Capitol office in Austin. Later, the young couple was stationed in Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, and Fort Carson, Colorado, and then back to Texas.
Once discharged from duty, Grace and James brought their infant son, James E. Narramore, Jr. back home to Greenville. They were blessed with another son, Steven Andrew Narramore. While awaiting the birth of their daughter, Holly Alice Narramore, Grace and James opened Photography by Narramore in downtown Greenville, in 1961. Grace worked mostly in front of the camera, posing the subject…whether a baby, a beautiful bride, a family, or an unruly beloved pet. Before the age of digital photography, Grace, by hand, retouched and enhanced the completed images, using artist oils and tiny brush strokes. Her artistic talents earned Grace a Photographic Craftsman Degree from the Professional Photographers of America.
Grace enjoyed and excelled at water skiing and tent camping in the summertime at Lake Texoma, and snow skiing in Breckenridge, Colorado in the winter. She could tear up the blue downhill slopes, and she could slalom ski, if the lake wasn’t too rough. These were wonderful fun-filled times for the family of five.
In 1998, Grace and James closed their studio, bought an RV, and were ready to see the country. Over the next 10 years, they traveled wherever the road led, with Grace driving while pulling their fifth wheel. They traveled from coast to coast, stopping frequently to photograph the amazing sights, or perhaps, to enjoy a country line dance, or fly a stunt kite on the beach.
Grace is survived by her devoted and faithful husband of 65 years, James Narramore. Surviving, also, are sons James Edward (Jim) Narramore, Jr. and wife Carla; Steven Andrew (Andy) Narramore and wife, Donna; daughter, Holly Alice Narramore Dodds and husband, Dennis; sister, Betty Louise Love Shepherd; and sister-in-law, Peggy Abernathy Love. Remembering their Mimi are grandchildren: Steven Narramore and wife, Kalyn; Amanda Mendoza and husband, Josh; Jamie Wilson and husband, John; Hayden Narramore and wife, Abbi; Rebekah Maines and husband, Todd; Alison Pike and husband, Zeb; and Kelly Davis and husband, Bruce. Eighteen great-grandchildren will be told countless stories of their Mimi, too. She is further survived by numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Grace was preceded in death by her parents, infant daughter, Holly Elizabeth Narramore; and her brother, Jefferson Ray Love, Jr.
Visitation will be on Thursday, July 2, 2020, from 6-8 p.m. at Lynch Funeral Home, Greenville, Texas.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 3, 2020, at Park Street Baptist Church, with Pastor Johnny Hailes and Rev. Andy Narramore officiating.
A private graveside service will follow at Memoryland Memorial Park.
Her grandsons will serve as pallbearers.