DATE: Sunday, September 21, 1997            TAG: 9709210010

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B6   EDITION: FINAL 

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:   41 lines

GRACE M. DUVAL

Grace Mason DuVal, 89, died Friday, Sept. 19, 1997, in Virginia Beach General Hospital.

Born in Bloxom on the Eastern Shore, she has been a resident of Virginia Beach most of her life.

Grace was the widow of Earl S. ``Monk'' DuVal and was also predeceased in death by her son, E. Sydney DuVal Jr. The last surviving child of Fred and Mary Elder Mason of Parksley, Va., she was also predeceased by her sisters, Nancy M. Crichton and Flora M. Tyndell; and one brother, Edwin Mason.

A retired schoolteacher, Grace taught in the Virginia Beach Public School System. Greatly loved by many students, in November 1966, she celebrated her love for teaching at W.T. Cooke Elementary School's 90th anniversary where she was recognized as the oldest former teacher in attendance.

Known to many friends as ``Mason,'' Grace was a Past Matron of the Virginia Beach Chapter, Order of Eastern Star No. 75, past president of the Princess Anne Women's Club of Virginia Beach, and a member of and active as one of the teachers of Virginia Beach United Methodist Church's Beasley Bible Class.

She was an inspiration to family, friends, and strangers through her faith, graciousness, strength, and her attitude towards life and living it to the fullest, all of which were her greatest contributions to this community. She will be missed by all.

Grace is survived by her daughter-in-law, Marie Brinkley DuVal of Virginia Beach; two grandsons, Timothy Robert ``Bobby'' DuVal and Troy Anthony DuVal of Coral Springs, Fla.; granddaughter, Ann Marie Hopkins and great-grandson, Triston Lane Hopkins of Norfolk; four nieces, Mary Crichton Detwiller and Nancy Crichton Cox of Capron, Jane Crichton Futrell of Courtland, and Susan Crichton Miller of Elton, La.; and three nephews, Greg, Chuck, and Rick Tyndell, formerly of Virginia Beach.

A funeral will be conducted at 10 a.m. Monday at Virginia Beach United Methodist Church by the Rev. David Ford. The family will receive friends and relatives at the Maestas Funeral Home, Baltic Ave. Chapel, from 7 to 8 p.m. tonight. Memorial donations may be made to the Virginia Beach Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 945, Virginia Beach, Va. 23451. KEYWORDS: DEATH OBITUARY

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