By Leslie Moriarty
Herald Writer
EVERETT — Somewhere in Heaven, Grace Pelkey is smiling down on her home in the Fir Grove neighborhood of southeast Everett, more proud than ever of her holiday decorations.
"She was the nicest, most-loving woman ever," said Jim Odell, her "adopted" son and neighbor. "We really miss her."
Odell, his wife, Sue, and their daughters, Holly and Kerry, were like family to Grace and her husband, Gene, who died in 1996. As neighbors for more than 19 years, the Odells and the Pelkeys spent warm summer evenings in their yards talking. They traveled together on vacations. And when December rolled around, they joined together to put up Christmas lights.
This year, things were different.
"Grace isn’t here anymore," Odell said. "She passed a few weeks ago. But the neighbors and I, we decided that her house still needs to be decorated."
So Odell, several other neighbors and Grace’s nephew, Ted Baker, got out her Christmas lights and began to string them across the front of her house. Her special four-color Noel sign made by Baker went up on the roof.
"She always liked the holidays," Odell said. "She liked it that people around here would decorate their homes."
That is a tradition in Fir Grove that Odell and another resident, Ray Gamache, began.
"The first year, I think we put up about 5,000 lights," Odell said.
Grace and her husband joined in.
| Share the light…
It’s that time again. If you know of a nice holiday lights display or have one up outside your house, feel free to give that information to us, and we’ll share it with Herald readers.
We’re especially interested in any lighting displays that have patriotic themes and red, white and blue lights to honor the military, police, firefighters and the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Send the complete address, including the city, to newstips@heraldnet.com
You can also mail the information to The Herald Newshound, P.O. Box 930, Everett, WA 98206.
We’ll publish a list periodically on the Neighbors page in the Local section throughout December.
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Over the years, the neighborhood participation in the holiday lights grew. Today, there are at least two dozen homes that are decorated on 19th and 21st streets SE between SE 100th and 104th streets. The Odell and the Pelkey homes are in the 2200 block of SE 103rd Street.
This year, Odell estimates there are more than 150,000 lights in the neighborhood. Those who drive by are asked to bring canned food for the Volunteers of America food drive, which Grace always supported, Odell said.
Because his wife is the executor of Pelkey’s estate, Odell was able to get at her holiday lights and signs. They still have some decorations to put out.
"The lights were something that we always did," Odell said. "It just seemed right to put them out."
Both Grace and Gene Pelkey were employed at Boeing — he for 37 years on the flight line, and she for 28 years computing information about plane renovations.
"Grace was family," Odell said. "She was a grandmother to my daughters, and they loved her dearly."
One of the Odells’ family favorite times with Grace was a Caribbean cruise last summer. Shortly thereafter Pelkey became ill with diabetes. She was hospitalized this fall and died following the amputation of her legs. She was 67.
Pelkey loved traveling, camping and riding motorcycles with her husband. She had traveled to the Holy Lands. She had written a family history and made porcelain dolls.
Odell said it is comforting to those who knew her to see her home lit up for the holidays.
"Grace was a very special person," Odell said. "I think she’d like that we are honoring her this way."
You can call Herald Writer Leslie Moriarty at 425-339-3436
or send e-mail to moriarty@heraldnet.com.
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