Grace Kite

Grace Adeline Sharpe Kite, went to be with her Lord, Jan. 24, 2017. She was 95 years old and lived a long and good life. Grace was born on June 4, 1921, the youngest of three daughters of Florence and Henry Sharpe, originally of Mebane, N.C. She earned a degree from James Madison University and a master’s degree in education administration from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She married Clarence R. Kite on July 4th 1940. They were married for nearly 61 years. Grace was an educator for 30 years in Hamilton County. She taught at Red Bank Elementary and White Oak Elementary Schools. She was assistant principal at Red Bank Elementary. She was principal at West Valley Elementary and retired at Soddy-Daisy Elementary after 12 years of service to our children. Grace was a long-standing member of Red Bank Presbyterian Church, where she taught a women’s Sunday school class for over 50 years. She was a member of the International Reading Association, the Association of Childhood Education, the Soddy Elementary PTO, Phi Delta Kappa and Delta Kappa Gamma sororities. She was President of the Soddy Women’s Club and a member Soddy Business and Professional Women’s Club and the Soddy-Daisy Council of the Greater Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce. She was nominated for Personalities of the South. Grace was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence; sisters, Clesta Sharpe Leonard and Mabel Sharpe Leonard. She is survived by sons, Robert A. Kite (Betsy) and K. Steven Kite (Nancy); granddaughters, Sherri Aynn Kite Collins, Julianne Kite Ingram, and Elizabeth Kite Raines; Step-granddaughters, Lelia Siler Geiger, Bonnie Siler Verlander and Katherine Siler McKinney. She is survived by 18 great-grandchildren; nieces, Gini McChesney and Ann Ragland (Hank); and nephew, Ben Leonard (Susan). The family will receive friends today, Jan. 27, 2017, at Chattanooga Funeral Home North Chapel, Hixson, from 3 to 7 p.m. Graveside services will be Saturday morning, Jan. 28, 2017, at 11 a.m. in Hamilton Memorial Gardens, Hixson. Following graveside services, there will be a celebration of life service for Grace at Red Bank Presbyterian Church at 1 p.m. with Rev. Eric Duble officiating. A reception at the church will follow the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials may be made to Red Bank Presbyterian Church, 4320 Dayton Blvd, Chattanooga, Tenn., 37415. Arrangements are held by the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory and Florist, 5401 Highway 153, Hixson, Tenn., 37343. Please share your thoughts and memories at www.chattanooganorthchapel.com.