On Friday, October 30th, 2020, Grace Elizabeth Gardiner (Page), loving mother, grandmother and friend quietly passed away at age 74 following a brief illness.Grace was born on February 3rd, 1946 in Roanoke, VA to Mark and Sylvia Page (Hammon). The youngest of three, she grew up with two loving older brothers Mike and Jim. Her father's work took the family to multiple hometowns through her youth and Grace graduated high school in Kansas City in 1964. Although the family called multiple places home, it was the Bay Area in California that was her personal favorite and the family moved back there shortly after her graduation.Grace then went on to attend college at the University of Oregon. Ultimately finishing at Portland State University with a B.S. in Political Science in 1969. Though as everyone who knew her knows, it was U of O and her beloved Ducks that would always be her true alma mater.Grace married Richard Gardiner and together they had two children, Heather and David. In the early 70s the family of four moved from Oregon to Helena, Montana which ultimately would become her lifelong home and now her final resting place.After teaching a generation of Helena children how to swim at the YCMA, Grace found her professional calling in radio advertising and went on to have a long and successful career in the industry spanning several stations and multiple decades. Grace's reputation in the industry outlives her.Much more adventurous than some might give her credit for, she and her second husband John packed it all up and moved abroad to San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico in the early 2000s where they lived for 3 years. Switching careers and lifestyles, it was the adventure of a lifetime. Ultimately though, her Montana home beckoned, and she returned in 2007. Grace loved visiting her children and grandchildren, who loved her deeply in return. She loved all the opportunities she had to travel, often with her family. Still a devoted Oregon Ducks fan, she cherished her annual fall football games and would travel each year with her dearest friends to attend a game in person and cheer on the team. Together with her great friend and grandma partner in crime, she made annual trips to New York to take in the big city and to binge as many Broadway plays as two grannies could manage. It was always one of the true highlights of her later years.Through it all, Grace discovered a true love and whole new family in the theater. It became one of the great passions of her lifetime. She was a cornerstone in the Grand Street Theater family for many years, performing on stage in dozens of shows and a supporting backstage for a great many more. The joy she brought to and found in return with her Grand Street family was something unique and truly special to her and I know you all will miss her as deeply as the rest of her family does.I guess it's in times like these that we search for something to hold onto or some way to keep her with us. In that regard we're lucky. We don't have to look any further than her grandchildren who embody so many of the qualities that we loved so much in Grace. Patience, determination, calm courage, independence and at least one granddaughter whose own affinity for the theater and gift for performance could only have come from Grandma Grace.It's in these times that we should take a lesson from the regrets we may be left with. To live that lesson and to pass it on. Our time here is short; its shorter than you think. Call your mom. Tell her you love her. No matter how many times you do, it will never be enough.Grace was proceeded in death by her parents Mark and Sylvia and her brother Mike. Her survivors include her daughter Heather and son-in-law Dan, son Dave and daughter-in-law Lolly, grandchildren Emily, Ryan and Harper as well as her brother Jim and sisters-in-law Jodie and Kathi.Due to the current Covid-19 position in Montana, an informal Zoom Meeting based memorial for Grace has been planned for Saturday November 21st 2pm. We would like to invite all to join and share stories or to just listen. We will plan an in-person get together in Helena at a later date, once we are in a better position to do so. Here is a link to the Zoom session: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83888148056Zoom meeting ID: 838 8814 8056We will have a slideshow during the online memorial and would love for anyone to please share their favorite photos with us on google drive here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-2x8RzYiYngP8V9mHDT5OrstLSrrO6DS?usp=sharingIn lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Grace's honor to the Grand Street theater at its website below: https://grandstreettheatre.com/get-involved/make-a-donation/