Grace Ellen VanSkike entered God’s Kingdom on April 24, 2016. Born in Newton on Sept. 28th, 1927, she was the eldest child of Herbert Paul and Marjorie Fae Dickson, family of English and Scotch- Irish decent. She was raised on the family farm near Rosalia and subsequently graduated high school in El Dorado, Class of 1945. After high school, Grace was among a few to be selected by her teacher for the opportunity to be sponsored for a college work and study program, working for the Dean’s office, while attending classes at Kansas State University.
During college years, she met an agriculture student, and World War II veteran William VanSkike. Bill and Grace were united in marriage at the First United Presbyterian Church in El Dorado on Sept. 3, 1950. They spent 60 years together, living and raising a family, residing in Clay Center, Garden City, and most recently Great Bend, where she resided. Bill was a County 4-H Extension agent, Grace supported him as a loving wife, homemaker, and mother to their four children. Later in life, as the children became more independent, she became a nurse’s aid and continued to care for others, which she loved to do. She was a devoted mother and grandmother, a loyal friend to other mothers in the neighborhood, a gifted gardener, and a guardian of the birds and butterflies. Grace was real champion for young children, and all those less fortunate than her.
Grace was preceded in death by her husband Bill in November 2010; her parents; brothers, Archie, Lloyd, Gilbert Dickson; in-law parents Harry and Mary VanSkike; brothers-in-law Jack Works, Dale Bender, and Karl Faidley; sister, Thelma Dickson; sisters-in-law, Mary Ruth Works, Marguerite Works; three infant grandchildren Michelle, Krista, and Shaun; and one infant great-granddaughter, Gloria Grace.
Grace is survived by sisters Virginia (Cal) Kernen, Beulah (John) Turner, and Joyce Bender and sister-in-law, Dorothy Faidley; daughter Jane; sons, Keith (Karen), Roger (Charlotte), and Rob (Gina) VanSkike; 13 grandchildren, Jason (Melanie), Justin (Jessica), William, Chad Ritter and Brianna Ritter (Brandon Craft) and Josh (Lisa), Luke (Holly), Jacob, William and Sarah, Todd (Amanda) and Megan VanSkike and Stacey Jones and Sam and Ryan Schmitt; and 16 great-grandchildren, Bethany, Dakota, Grace, Dane, Haleigh, Kaitlyn, McKenna, Preston, Peyton, Gavin, Gentry, Rose, Faith, Hope, Dalton and Joshua.
Grace will be laid to rest at Great Bend Cemetery, on a date not yet determined. A private memorial service will be held with family members and friends in attendance. In remembrance of her wonderful life a memorial is being dedicated to benefit Monarch Butterflies and the Birds of the state of Kansas that she so enjoyed. Condolences and donations to her memory may be sent to her daughter Jane VanSkike, at 9012  S. Hertzler Road, Sedgwick, KS 67135-9143.

Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, May 1, 2016**