Grace Stella Novak's Obituary
Born Grace Stella Herriman, September 29, 1941 in Prosser, WA and died in the early hours of Christmas Eve, December 24, 2025 at Good Samaritan hospital.
Grace was raised with a very strong work ethic on the family farm. When she was in high school, her dad gave her a section of the farm to use for herself. She grew and harvested asparagus before and after school. Her dad sold it at market and gave Grace her hard earned money.
Asparagus money was used on annual trips made to Yakima to buy her school clothes. She bought fabric and made the skirts herself to stretch her money even further.
Raised in a Christian home, Grace's relationship with Jesus Christ as her personal savior was at the center of her life.
Grace was an accomplished self taught pianist, organist and soloist (soprano). She could listen to almost any song once or twice and then play it as a soloist or accompanist.
She cut a record in her early teens, singing, "His Eye Is On The Sparrow" and traveled with an evangelistic team, "The Cockerels" as their pianist and soloist.
Grace attended Grandview High School in Grandview, WA. She finished high school in 1960 with a GED (a bit late due to an illness her senior year).
Grace and David Novak married in October of 1960 in Sunnyside, WA at the Home Missionary Church that Grace's father had helped build. After marrying Dave, Grace moved to Scappoose. They stayed active in their church as youth leaders. They transported the youth to lots of activities and hosted some in their home. Grace's homemade tacos were legendary.
She kept an immaculate house while working and raising their two children. Family road trips included singing and harmonizing with the kids and David trying to hold down the melody.
She worked at Montgomery Wards in Portland, The Birds Cafe, Brock Candle Factory, Tarter's Bargain Center, Bauer Insurance and Stokes Hardware, all in Scappoose. Her last job before retirement was in Insurance Sales.
With the kids out of the house, Grace became more crafty. She made Christmas chocolates decorated with great detail and was famous for her peanut brittle and rum fudge.
Later on she began decorating shirts and sweatshirts for Christmas Bazars under the name, "Gracie's Dazzly Shirts." Grace also worked with Dave in the Gideons as a member of the Gideon Auxiliary.
Grace was a huge and very vocal Seahawks and Portland Trailblazers fan. Her son, Ray, was able to take her to quite a few Blazer games. She was even included in an ad for the Blazers' jacket one year, along with Dave, Ray and Stacey.
Her picture was shown on the jumbotron, in team mailings, on their website and a TV ad. She was proud to tell the Blazer staff that she was, "a big deal around here."
They had to agree.
Grace was preceded in death by her father, Raymond Herriman, mother, Winnifred Herriman (Angle), infant brother George and sister Ilene (Herriman) Bradshaw.
She is survived by her brother, Richard Herriman, husband, David Novak, two children, Carol Novak Heacock (husband Dan) and Raymond Novak (wife Stacey), three grandchildren, Claire Heacock and Martay and Robert Novak and one great granddaughter, Nebiyah Stoudamire Heacock."
For those not able to attend in person a live stream will be available
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