Grace Ann Velk

Grace had a passion for working with children, and she began her career in the public schools in the early 1980s as a lunch monitor at School 5 in Dunkirk. She was hardworking and dedicated, taking on roles of increasing responsibility, first as a teacher’s aide, then as a librarian assistant at School 4. Later, Grace worked with several other founders to establish Global Concepts Charter School in Lackawanna. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Empire State University late in her career, and retired from Global Concepts in 2014 as a reading teacher and librarian.

Grace had a soft spot in her heart for the children she worked with, and she cared about them deeply. One of her favorite students was Dominic Soda, a nine year old who sadly passed away in 2005. Wanting his memory to live on, she led a committee to raise funds to build the Dominic Soda Memorial Playground at Global Concepts in 2006.

Grace was a devout Catholic and life long parishioner at Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church in Dunkirk. She lived her values, and her love of children extended to the unborn. In her retirement she spent countless hours volunteering at the St. Gianna Pregnancy Outreach center in Fredonia, where she developed strong bonds with her sisters in Christ.

Grace was predeceased by her parents Anthony and Phyllis (Crino) Ricotta. She is survived by five siblings, Annette (Phil) Julian of Dunkirk, France’s (Sal) Culmo of Dunkirk, Anthony Ricotta Jr. of Venice, Florida, Mary Ann (William) Pryll of Dunkirk, and Sam (Christina) Ricotta of Austin, Texas as well as many nieces and nephews.

She is also survived by her two sons, Chad (Lace) Velk of Portland, Oregon and Nicholas (Joy) Velk of Chattanooga, Tennessee. She will be dearly missed by her four grandchildren, whom she loved more than anything in the world.

Grace’s two favorite altar servers, Leo (11) and Troy (9) will miss her visits to Chattanooga to watch their baseball games, play board games, make cookies and tell them stories. They’ll especially miss their Nema on road trips, now the middle seat will be empty.

With the arrival of granddaughters Vivian (9) and Penny (7), Grace finally had little girls to love and spoil and buy way too many clothes for. The girls will miss dinnertime Skype calls with Nonna and hikes on her visits to Portland, but mostly they’ll miss hiding plastic bugs in her room during her visits.

Friends and family are welcome to attend calling hours on Thursday, May 2, 2024 from 4-7 PM at McGraw-Kowal funeral home, followed by a Mass of Christian burial at Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 3, 2024. Inurnment in Holy Trinity Mausoleum.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the St. Gianna Molla Pregnancy Outreach Center at the link below, click on St. Gianna in the drop down box. https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_ button_id=YHCDLQRQ4PQVQ.