06/10/2026
We lost Grace Kubofcik a year ago yesterday, and the County dedicated the Cedar Lane bocce courts in her honor. I remembered her memorial service at the Conservancy when I couldn’t find on my phone the notes I’d prepared, even to try and read. Here they are:
Most of you have known Grace, have loved Grace for much, much longer than I have. I won’t spend a lot of time up here telling you what you already know. Reading and hearing some of your own accounts in the last several weeks of what she did for you, too—especially for us ladies—I marvel at the incredible reach of her influence and her care. Influence not paid for by anyone, not on account of herself at all. But so, so steeped in experience and compassion and dogged persistence that you could not but succumb. A reporter asked me why I thought Grace was so persuasive. Because she was right I answered. Because Grace was right.
She cared just as much about many of us as those issues of hers. The influence that Grace so expertly exerted, lots of times it was just there to make us better. Maybe do this instead, did you think of that, have you seen the report, why don’t you come to this event with me, the sound’s not working right… We ran at slightly different temperatures, Grace and me. You’re doing a good job, Grace managed to find you and say to you—especially when you sure didn’t feel that way. Big grin on her face, even if nothing really smiley was going on. And I knew I was in the right place so long as Grace was in the room with me. Even if we were the only two there. And that happened lots.
I wish there was something I could say to you, Kubofcik family, to ease your grief. I will say instead thank you so much for sharing her with us, with our whole community for these so many years. We share your grief now in return. We heard about your accomplishments and your goings on as she mentored and advised us, and passed us her handwritten lists. We saw you at more and more events with her, Lucy, at the League.
I am heartbroken, as I know you are, too. But I am so proud to have known her, to have learned so much from her, and to be able to comprehend even a fraction of what wonderful and enduring good she brought to this place we all call home.
