Mary Elizabeth Gridean Grande died peacefully on February 2, 2013.

She was born in Youngstown, Ohio on May 6, 1921 to Hilda and Alexander Gridean. As a baby she moved to Gardena, California, after a brief stop in Lompoc. When she started 10th grade, the family moved to Santa Barbara, where she graduated from Santa Barbara High. She studied and graduated from Beauty School and briefly worked at Sartwell's Beauty Shop on State Street.

Her best friend introduced her to Sid Grande whom she married in 1940. While Sid served in the Army, they lived briefly in San Francisco. Then Mary stayed with her in-laws in Blythe while her husband was in the European Theater. When he returned, they moved to Santa Barbara where they lived and raised their daughter Sandra until they retired to Lompoc in 1975.

She is survived by her sister Delores Wells, grandchildren Michael Greiten, Jr. (Jurae) and Susanna Pauley, great-grandchildren Angelina and Cheyanne Pauley, and Ross and Riley Greiten and in-laws Fred Grande (Maryellen), Blanche Copeland, Nancy Belden (Ken), Marcia Greiten and many nieces and nephews. Those waiting to greet her are her husband of 66 years, Sidney Grande, Jr., daughter Sandra Grande Greiten, son-in-law Michael Greiten, Sr. and sister Marjory Soloman.

Services will be on Thursday, February 7, at 1:00 pm at New Hope Christian Church, 213 North J Street, in Lompoc.