Mrs. Grace Marie Minter

Our mother, Gracie Minter, was born September 12, 1921, in Denison, Texas to Francis Akin Austin and William Bonner Austin. She was the youngest of eleven children, of which only 5 lived to adulthood. When she was 8 years old, the Great Depression began, and with that many children there was always a need. Her mother took in washing and raised Persian cats to sell to help make ends meet, and her father worked in the oil fields in Oklahoma, so he was not home often. The wants and needs were so great that one Christmas the only thing she asked for was a pound of butter, which of course she had to share with the whole family.

Gracie attended school in Denison, TX and graduated from Denison High School in 1939. She was the only member of her family to have graduated from high school, which was quite an accomplishment during that time. To help get through school she worked at the local five and dime store. While in high school she met Walt Minter, who was her brother’s best friend. They were married on December 7, 1941, the day Pearl Harbor was bombed. A few months later, Walt joined the US Air Force, and was shipped out to basic training. He fought in WWII and the Korean War. They had a son, Robert Minter, on July 17, 1943, while Walt was away at war. During this time, her parents had moved to El Paso, TX, and she moved there as well, for their support. She had a very difficult birth but cherished her baby boy so very much. Shortly after Robert was born, Walt was stationed in Warren, Oklahoma, and she moved there to be with him. A few years later after being stationed in Alaska, he was stationed in Rapid City, South Dakota, and at this time, they welcomed their baby girl, Shirley Jean Minter, on November 4, 1948.

When Shirley turned two, Walt was discharged from the Air Force, and they returned to Texas and lived in Fort Worth. They moved to Arlington in 1954, where our mother served on the PTA at her kids’ school, was a Girl Scout Brownie Troop leader, and worked as a real estate agent. Gracie always made sure her children had whatever they needed. Some examples of this were making their clothes and making sure Robert could have the private Clarinet lessons he needed.

In 1959, Walt and Gracie opened Walt’s Furniture Store in Grand Prairie, TX, and then in 1961 they opened their appliance business, Walt’s Appliance, selling new and used appliances. Our mother was in charge of the finances for the business and made sure that everything ran as smoothly as possible. She was quite a businesswoman, and she was a mother to all of her employees.  Through their appliance business they won many trips and were able to travel the world, visiting countries like China, Japan, England, Denmark, Mexico, Sweden, and many others.

Over the years, Gracie’s children married and began having their families. She was an incredible grandmother. She loved spending time with them and playing with them. She had tea parties, weddings, swimming parties, and backyard barbecues. She even made play clothes out of old drapes for her granddaughter to use when she visited. She always had snacks and a fridge stocked with sodas for her grandchildren to enjoy when in the pool. As they grew, she became her grandchildren’s confidante and was there for every event in their lives, from football games to band concerts to graduation ceremonies to weddings. As her grandchildren grew up and began to have families of their own, she became an incredible great grandmother and continued to be there for as many of their events as possible.

Her last three and half years she was cared for by her precious granddaughter Charlotte Rhea and was able to spend time with her great great grandchildren who lived nearby.

She was preceded in death by her mother and father, her two brothers and two sisters and her husband Walt Minter. She was survived by her two children, Robert Minter and wife Vickie, and Shirley Rhea and husband Dalton, and her grandchildren Michael Rhea and wife Charlotte, Michelle Thomas and husband Joel, and Austin Minter and wife Bailie, and her great grandchildren Brittney Upshaw and husband Jason, Cheyenne Tenery and husband Garret, Cole Thomas, Kimber Thomas, and Kyle Minter, and 3 great great grandchildren.