Grace Staver Rarity, 94, died on Jan. 22, 2016 in her Oak Park home, where she lived for more than 65 years. Born on Sept. 4, 1921 in Dodgeville, Wisconsin to (Belva) Mae Millard Staver and Joseph Louis Staver, the family lived in Mineral Point. Grace attended the University of Wisconsin Madison, graduating in 1943 with a Bachelor of Science Degree.
During her senior year in college, the Oak Park and River Forest High School superintendent and the head of the Physical Education Department came to the campus to interview her for a teaching position at OPRF. She taught physical education at OPRF from 1943 to 1953.
After choosing to stay home to raise her family, she rejoined the staff in 1973 as a library aide and then became the college & career secretary until she retired in 1992. She was a proud member of the OPRF Super Doopers and also the Alumni Association.
On June 17, 1950, she married George Patterson Rarity, and they moved into their Oak Park home. For the past 20 years, she made sure ghosts appeared in the windows of her home and garage every October, much to the delight of neighborhood children.
She was very active in the community and was a volunteer and or member of many clubs and organizations, including the Austin Jr. Woman’s Club, Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Hospital Auxiliary, West Suburban Medical Center Auxiliary, Handcraft Club, Book Friends, and the OPRF Infant Welfare Society. She was also an avid worker for the Women’s Society and Young Adult Groups.
She was a member of the First United Methodist Church since 1943. Most recently she was quite involved with the Nineteenth Century Charitable Association and their Social Welfare Sewing Group and the Forest Park Senior Center. A huge sports fan, she spent many hours cheering on the Bulls, Blackhawks, Bears, Cubs, and her alma mater, the University of Wisconsin Badgers. In 1945, she and her mother stood in line overnight to purchase World Series tickets for the Chicago Cubs.
She truly was a “rarity” and will be dearly missed by family and her many friends.
Grace Rarity is survived by her children, Glenda Rarity (Trey) Stevens and Graham J. Rarity, and her grandchildren, Jade Stevens (Tim) Grimms and Paige Stevens.
A memorial visitation will be held Sunday, Jan. 31 from 1 p.m. until time of service at 4 p.m. at Oak Park’s Drechsler, Brown & Williams Funeral Home, 203 S. Marion St.
In lieu of flowers, the family appreciates donations to the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust, the Nineteenth Century Charitable Association, or to the Oak Park and River Forest High School Scholarship Foundation.
