Grace B. Shoutz

Grace B. Shoutz, age 86 of Forest City passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 8, 2022 at the her home on the farm in Forest City. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 AM on Monday February 14, 2022 at the St. Matthew’s United Church of Christ in Forest City. Visitation will be held from 3:00 - 6:00 PM on Sunday February 13, 2022 at the St. Matthew’s United Church of Christ in Forest City. Visitation will also be one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be in the Forest City Cemetery. The service will be livestreamed at www.johnsonhagglund.com. Grace Beatrice Shoutz, the daughter of Orson (O.D.) and Mamie (Peterson) Thatcher, was born on October 24, 1935 at the University Hospital in Minneapolis, MN. She was raised by her mother in Sauk Center as an only child, where she attended Holy Family Catholic School. They moved to Litchfield in 1948 and she graduated from Litchfield High School in 1953. Grace was united in marriage to Laurel H. Shoutz on August 29, 1953 at St. Matthew’s United Church of Christ in Forest City, MN. She began working as a nurse’s aide at age 14 at the Litchfield Hospital, then worked at Bethany Nursing Home until retiring in 2004 to be the full time day care for her grandkids. She was a nurses aide for a total of 35 years. Grace provided day care for neighborhood kids and served as a foster home for 20 years. She was a member of St. Matthew’s United Church of Christ where she was active in the Women’s Fellowship. She enjoyed playing cards, baking, reading, gardening and rural life in Forest City. She loved conversations with family, friends and neighbors, riding in pony carts with Laurel and watching her kids and grandkids grow up on the family farm. She enjoyed watching her grandkids' horses in the pastures and often gave “Tony Pony” and “Baby” cookies in the house. Grace loved the farm, being a farmer’s wife and helped wherever she could, especially feeding calves and baling hay. She made decades worth of meals for kids, grandkids, family, friends, visitors and farm help. She will be remembered as a loving, welcoming and kind. She is survived by her children Ron (Patti) Shoutz of St. Cloud, Mark (Vickie) Shoutz of Dassel, Brian Shoutz of Forest City, Jon (Crisi) Shoutz of Forest City; Grandchildren Nathan (Dallas) Shoutz, Tiffany (Jason) Thompson, Jordan (Sam) Pfeninger, Kristina Shoutz, Amie (Tim) Langenfeld, Dorie (Jeremiah) Jessen, Casey (Angela) Shoutz, Laura (fiancé Jordan) Shoutz, Sara (fiancé Sam) Shoutz, Abagayle Shoutz, Aleisha Shoutz and Jack Shoutz; great grandchildren Cullen Thompson, Avery Thompson, Henry Pfeninger, Georgia Pfeninger, Sage Shoutz, Alexis Langenfeld, Faith Jessen, Gavin Jessen, Jadyn Jessen. She is also survived by several dear friends and neighbors. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Laurel and daughter Gayle.