Grace Lucille Mulloy passed away May 2, 2025 at the age of 101. She was born Grace Lucille Miller on Sept. 29, 1923 to Bessie Hazel Miller and Frank Edward Miller in Eagle Butte, South Dakota.
Grace graduated from Eagle Butte High School in 1941. Shortly after graduating, she moved to Long Beach, California, with a few childhood girlfriends, where they all found work in the wartime economy.
After returning to South Dakota, she went to work at the Cheyenne River Agency, where she met her husband James “Jim” Thomas Mulloy. They were married in 1947.
They lived initially in South Bend, Indiana, where Jim was attending Notre Dame, and later returned to South Dakota to begin their family.
They had two daughters Patricia Ann and Elizabeth Jean. As the family grew, they were very involved in 4-H club and rodeos; and Saturday nights would often find everyone at the local Parade Hall for a lively night of square dancing with their friends and family.
Grace worked as a clerk typist for many years in Timber Lake and Pierre, South Dakota.
After moving to San Diego County, California, Grace worked for the San Diego County Welfare Department as a quality control clerk. She was admired by all for her hard work ethic and developed many lifelong friends during her tenure in this position.
She loved to go to Jazzercise classes and shopping, but her real love and passion was bowling. She began bowling while living in Timber Lake in the mid-1950s and continued her passion for the sport after moving to California.
While the main goal for her was always to have a good time, Josie was nonetheless very competitive to the very end, and traveled throughout the state competing in tournaments.
In 2019, she represented the state of California at the National Senior Bowling Tournament in Cincinnati, Ohio, where at 95, she was the oldest participant – a fact she was very proud of. She bowled her last frames in December 2024 at the age of 101.
Grace had a sense of humor, loved a good joke, and loved to dance. At her 100th birthday party, she was on the dance floor with all of her nephews, a memory she no doubt cherished.
She was truly an amazing woman who lived life to the fullest until her very last days.
Grace was preceded in death by her parents Frank and Hazel Miller; husband of 63 years James Mulloy; and her siblings Bethel, Edward, Patti and Jean.
She is survived by her daughters Pat Mulloy, of Escondido, California, Liz Howell (Tom) of Santa Maria; granddaughter Bridget Ross (Josiah) of Santa Rosa, California; great granddaughters Kaylee and Sidney and granddaughter Brandi Howell of Albany, California.
A rosary will be held in the Dudley Hoffman Mortuary chapel, 6 p.m. Monday, May 19. The funeral will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 20 at St. Louis de Montfort Catholic Church, followed by inurnment at Santa Maria Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Rancho Bowl Junior Bowlers Program, ℅ Wade Stever, 128 E. Donovan Road, Santa Maria, CA 93454.
Visit www.dudleyhoffmanmortuary.com to leave a condolence for the family.