Grace I. McAloon, age 92, of Minnetonka MN and formerly of Huron, passed away on Sunday, June 19, 2022 at New Perspectives Senior Living in Minnetonka, MN. Her Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, July 1, 2022 at Holy Trinity Catholic Parish in Huron with burial to follow at St. Martin Cemetery. Visitation, with the family present, will be from 5-7 PM on Thursday, June 30, 2022 at Welter Funeral Home in Huron. A Rosary and Scripture Service will begin at 6:30 PM on Thursday evening at Welter Funeral Home.

Grace I (Honrath) McAloon was born July 11, 1929 on a small farm a half mile south of Cavour, South Dakota to Peter and Anna (Lambertz) Honrath.  Her parents bought the farm in 1914 after her oldest brother was born.  Grace was the youngest of 8 children spending her early childhood helping on the farm and attending school until the family sold the farm and moved to Huron, SD in 1945.

Grace sometimes reminded her children how difficult life could be on a farm with no indoor plumbing. The toilet was located in a different tiny building called an outhouse and crumpled Sears and Roebuck Catalog pages were often used for toilet paper.  The family only had a wood burning cook stove and the children would heat up bricks to take to bed for a bit of warmth in the winter.  In the morning, frost would be on the beds (lined with straw and feathers) so the children would wait for their father to start the stove, then race down from the bedroom loft to get warm.  The family enjoyed life after the depression years, having barn dances just about every Friday during the summer with her father playing the accordion and many people attending from miles away.   Life on the farm, taught the children core values of hard work, teamwork and putting the needs of others first, something Grace did her entire life.

Grace graduated from Huron High School in 1947 and then worked at Beadle County Rural Electric Association (REA) collecting money from parking meters and eventually as a book keeper.  In 1954 Grace met the love of her life, John (Jack) McAloon at a Cafe in Huron (now the "Red Arrow").  She saved money from her REA job to buy her beautiful wedding dress and the 2 were married on September 1, 1955 at St. Martins Catholic Church in Huron.  In 1962, they adopted their first child (Todd) and in 1965 Tim was born.  Grace spent all her time raising the boys and in the 1970s as a teacher's aide for Jefferson Elementary school.  In 1980 Grace joined the Huron Senior Center as the Administrative Assistant and wrote weekly newsletters among many other duties.  Her husband Jack passed away in 1992 after 37 years of blissful marriage.  Grace spent time as a Realtor for Coldwell Banker Action Realty and eventually retired from the Senior Center in 2002 after 22 years of service.

After retirement, Grace cherished time with her family and also had space at the Antique Mall in Mitchel, SD for selling antiques which she loved to collect from Auctions/Garage Sales.  In 2011, Grace moved to an assisted living facility in Minnetonka, MN and quickly became a favorite.  She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary for 44 years.

Grace is survived by her son Todd and his wife Shelly McAloon of Eden Prairie, MN; Tim McAloon of Huron, SD; 5 grandchildren, Crystal (Don) Overbey of Shakopee, MN; Michael (Adri) McAloon of Carrollton, VA; Laura (Dillon) Todd of Clarksville, TN; Alissa McAloon of Boston, MA; and Nicole McAloon of Sioux Falls, SD and 6 greatgrandchildren; Jennifer Overbey; Olivia McAloon, Elijah McAloon; Bennett Todd, Wyatt Todd, Weston Todd.

Grace was preceded in death by her husband John (Jack) McAloon; parents Peter and Anna (Lambertz) Honrath; five sisters, Bernice Honrath, Genevieve (Honrath) Knutson, Loretta (Sister Celestine) Honrath, Bernadette (Honrath) Schram, Agatha (Honrath) Smart; two brothers, Reinhold Honrath, Melvin Honrath and a great grandson, Brayson Todd.

Grace was a long-standing member of St. Martin's Catholic Parish and Holy Trinity Catholic Church.  She was beloved by many and everyone is a better person for having met her.