Grace Patterson English: top Twin Cities executive, business owner, world traveler and community volunteer

By Lois Glewwe | Contributor | January 2021

This month’s honoree joins the roster of 90 South St. Paul women whose lives are being shared with the community in tribute to the first 90 women to vote in the U.S. following ratification of the 19^th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution on August 27, 1920. Those 90 women from 1920 are not all identified but we honor today’s female leaders on their behalf.

When a person lives for 100 years mostly in the same community, she gets to know hundreds of people in various organizations and activities. I knew Grace Patterson English for many years but had no idea of her many accomplishments.

She was born on Nov. 19, 1919, in Huron, S. D., to Joseph and Helene Patterson. The family moved to South St. Paul, and Grace graduated from South St. Paul High School in 1937. Her first job was in Washington, D.C., in 1938, as a secretary for the National Youth Administration, a New Deal agency designed to provide work and education for young men and women. She earned $50 a month.

Two years later she took her first airplane ride, departing from South St. Paul’s Fleming Field in a plane with no doors. The following year she married Robert English and together they established the English Funeral Home in South St. Paul. It later became English Meeker, then English, Meeker, Kandt. It is now Kandt-Tetrick. Grace enjoyed traveling, and was in Havana, Cuba, on the night in 1959 that Fidel Castro blew up a power plant there.

Grace worked for Ecolab in St. Paul, and her family recalled that in 1968 she would come home from work and head out to serve beer and hamburgers at a booth at the State Fair. In 1973 she became the first woman to be named to an administrative position at Ecolab. Four years later she was promoted to assistant vice president of National Accounts for the Magnus Division. In 1979 she was named one of the top 10 women executives in the Twin Cities by the former Twin Cities Business magazine.

Grace and Bob had four children: Kathleen, Corinne, Lee and Bob. The family traveled often. After Grace retired from Ecolab in 1980 she traveled to the Holy Land. In 1989, she published her first book, “My God and I.” A devout Christian, she served as a church deacon, led Bible study classes and coordinated activities for seniors. She volunteered for a number of community organizations and loved to read, meet new people and stay in touch with friends and family. Grace also excelled at needlework and won many ribbons at the Minnesota State Fair each year.

Bob English passed away in 1997. Five years later she published her second book, “Prayers of Grace.” When she was 89 she had her Christmas card photo taken while she was riding a camel. On the occasion of her 70^th high school reunion in 2007, she was thrilled when asked to ride with some classmates on the back of a convertible in the Kaposia Days parade.

She loved to ride the carousel at Como Park, and her family and friends treasured her generous nature, loving guidance and penchant for fun times. In 2016 she sold her condo and car and moved to Timber Hills senior living in Inver Grove Heights. Three years later she finished her third book, “Bible Verses for Life’s Journey.”

For her 100^th birthday, Grace had four parties in six days. She loved every one of them and appreciated the many cards, emails and calls she received. It was a wonderful tribute to her life. Grace passed away on Sept. 30 this year at the age of 100. Her contributions to the community will be remembered for many years to come.

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