Grace McKinnon Scales, longtime Missoula resident and last of a generation of McKinnons, passed away peacefully on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012, supported by her loved ones. She was born Oct. 13, 1922, in Foremost, Alberta, Canada. The family then moved to the friendly little farming community of St. Ignatius, where she was raised.
Grace graduated from St. Ignatius High School as the class valedictorian and was awarded a scholarship to the University of Montana, which she turned down in order to attend Missoula's Modern Business College. She excelled in that endeavor and, in fact, accepted employment as an instructor for the college upon graduation. Her time there prepared her for her lifetime career as a high-level executive secretary at notable Montana law firms. She worked for 27 years for the firm of Garlington, Lohn, and Robinson, where she maintained lifelong friendships. When the firm bought its first computer in the mid-1970s, she was responsible for converting all of the firm's records to computer files.
In her long and full life, Grace was active in the Presbyterian Church, President of the Montana State PTA, and was a founding member of the Sweet Adelines Five Valleys Chorus. During her time with the Sweet Adelines, she was the National Regent and founded a number of vocal quartets, including the Treasure Tones, who won the annual national competition in 1977. They then competed for the International Competition championship on the stage of the Royal Albert Hall in London.
In addition to all of her activities, she found time to enroll in the University of Montana, where she graduated at the age of 69 with a bachelor's degree with high honors. While a student, she participated in a study-abroad program and lived in Italy studying the language and culture.
Grace's lifelong husband, Vincent Anthony Scales, Sr., whom she married in Palm Springs, Calif., during World War II, preceded her in death. Grace is survived by daughters, Susan (Skip) McMahon and Madeleine (Kevin) McKelvey, and sons, Gary and Tony (Cid), as well as 10 grandchildren, Tyler and Brendan McMahon, Erin and Vincent Scales, Anthony and Chauncey Scales, Brady Hobza, J.C. Dover, and Adrienne and Tara McKelvey; 11 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Grace had an immediate impact on everyone who met her and she will be missed and remembered in every passing day.
Grace graduated from St. Ignatius High School as the class valedictorian and was awarded a scholarship to the University of Montana, which she turned down in order to attend Missoula's Modern Business College. She excelled in that endeavor and, in fact, accepted employment as an instructor for the college upon graduation. Her time there prepared her for her lifetime career as a high-level executive secretary at notable Montana law firms. She worked for 27 years for the firm of Garlington, Lohn, and Robinson, where she maintained lifelong friendships. When the firm bought its first computer in the mid-1970s, she was responsible for converting all of the firm's records to computer files.
In her long and full life, Grace was active in the Presbyterian Church, President of the Montana State PTA, and was a founding member of the Sweet Adelines Five Valleys Chorus. During her time with the Sweet Adelines, she was the National Regent and founded a number of vocal quartets, including the Treasure Tones, who won the annual national competition in 1977. They then competed for the International Competition championship on the stage of the Royal Albert Hall in London.
In addition to all of her activities, she found time to enroll in the University of Montana, where she graduated at the age of 69 with a bachelor's degree with high honors. While a student, she participated in a study-abroad program and lived in Italy studying the language and culture.
Grace's lifelong husband, Vincent Anthony Scales, Sr., whom she married in Palm Springs, Calif., during World War II, preceded her in death. Grace is survived by daughters, Susan (Skip) McMahon and Madeleine (Kevin) McKelvey, and sons, Gary and Tony (Cid), as well as 10 grandchildren, Tyler and Brendan McMahon, Erin and Vincent Scales, Anthony and Chauncey Scales, Brady Hobza, J.C. Dover, and Adrienne and Tara McKelvey; 11 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Grace had an immediate impact on everyone who met her and she will be missed and remembered in every passing day.
Grace McKinnon Scales, longtime Missoula resident and last of a generation of McKinnons, passed away peacefully on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012, supported by her loved ones. She was born Oct. 13, 1922, in Foremost, Alberta, Canada. The family then moved to the friendly little farming community of St. Ignatius, where she was raised.
Grace graduated from St. Ignatius High School as the class valedictorian and was awarded a scholarship to the University of Montana, which she turned down in order to attend Missoula's Modern Business College. She excelled in that endeavor and, in fact, accepted employment as an instructor for the college upon graduation. Her time there prepared her for her lifetime career as a high-level executive secretary at notable Montana law firms. She worked for 27 years for the firm of Garlington, Lohn, and Robinson, where she maintained lifelong friendships. When the firm bought its first computer in the mid-1970s, she was responsible for converting all of the firm's records to computer files.
In her long and full life, Grace was active in the Presbyterian Church, President of the Montana State PTA, and was a founding member of the Sweet Adelines Five Valleys Chorus. During her time with the Sweet Adelines, she was the National Regent and founded a number of vocal quartets, including the Treasure Tones, who won the annual national competition in 1977. They then competed for the International Competition championship on the stage of the Royal Albert Hall in London.
In addition to all of her activities, she found time to enroll in the University of Montana, where she graduated at the age of 69 with a bachelor's degree with high honors. While a student, she participated in a study-abroad program and lived in Italy studying the language and culture.
Grace's lifelong husband, Vincent Anthony Scales, Sr., whom she married in Palm Springs, Calif., during World War II, preceded her in death. Grace is survived by daughters, Susan (Skip) McMahon and Madeleine (Kevin) McKelvey, and sons, Gary and Tony (Cid), as well as 10 grandchildren, Tyler and Brendan McMahon, Erin and Vincent Scales, Anthony and Chauncey Scales, Brady Hobza, J.C. Dover, and Adrienne and Tara McKelvey; 11 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Grace had an immediate impact on everyone who met her and she will be missed and remembered in every passing day.
Grace graduated from St. Ignatius High School as the class valedictorian and was awarded a scholarship to the University of Montana, which she turned down in order to attend Missoula's Modern Business College. She excelled in that endeavor and, in fact, accepted employment as an instructor for the college upon graduation. Her time there prepared her for her lifetime career as a high-level executive secretary at notable Montana law firms. She worked for 27 years for the firm of Garlington, Lohn, and Robinson, where she maintained lifelong friendships. When the firm bought its first computer in the mid-1970s, she was responsible for converting all of the firm's records to computer files.
In her long and full life, Grace was active in the Presbyterian Church, President of the Montana State PTA, and was a founding member of the Sweet Adelines Five Valleys Chorus. During her time with the Sweet Adelines, she was the National Regent and founded a number of vocal quartets, including the Treasure Tones, who won the annual national competition in 1977. They then competed for the International Competition championship on the stage of the Royal Albert Hall in London.
In addition to all of her activities, she found time to enroll in the University of Montana, where she graduated at the age of 69 with a bachelor's degree with high honors. While a student, she participated in a study-abroad program and lived in Italy studying the language and culture.
Grace's lifelong husband, Vincent Anthony Scales, Sr., whom she married in Palm Springs, Calif., during World War II, preceded her in death. Grace is survived by daughters, Susan (Skip) McMahon and Madeleine (Kevin) McKelvey, and sons, Gary and Tony (Cid), as well as 10 grandchildren, Tyler and Brendan McMahon, Erin and Vincent Scales, Anthony and Chauncey Scales, Brady Hobza, J.C. Dover, and Adrienne and Tara McKelvey; 11 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Grace had an immediate impact on everyone who met her and she will be missed and remembered in every passing day.
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