Grace Wandell

ALBANY- Grace M. Wandell, 94, died Sunday September 25th at Albany Medical Center Hospital after sustaining a massive stroke at her home only a few days prior.
Of Scottish and Native American descent, Grace was born October 31, 1910, one of eight children to Malcolm and Marie Bushie McIntyre of Superior, Wisconsin.
Gracie is survived by her husband of almost fifty years, John (Jack) B. Wandell; her one remaining sister Alice of Washington State and by her four sons from a previous marriage to the late William McGrath: Kenneth R. McGrath of Las Vegas, NV., John (Jack) McGrath and his wife Mary Ellen of East Alton, IL., William McGrath Jr. of Anchorage, AK and Earl McGrath of New York City. She is the grandmother of Cindy Bannister, Layne Madsen, John McGrath Jr. (Sandy), William McGrath (Roben), Michele McCool (David), Anna Blankenship (Stuart), John Spires, Garnetta, Lynn, Cindy, Gracie, Michael McGrath, and Maria McGrath who spent countless hours at her grandmother's bedside during her last hours. Grace is also survived by 6 great grandchildren.
Besides Grace's aforementioned family members, she was preceded in death by her daughter, Mary Glaser; a granddaughter, Cheryl Macintosh, and a grandson William McGrath, the beloved son of Kenneth R. McGrath.
In her younger days, Gracie was a registered nurse for the Sisters of St. Joseph in Wisconsin. Later in the 1950's while visiting the then-territory of Alaska, she became a charter member of a pioneering theatre group, the Anchorage Drama Lab. It was then that she met the group's founder and director, Albany, NY born-Jack Wandell while auditioning for a part in a William Saroyan play. She got the role and the director. They were soon married in nearby Palmer.
Among theatrical notables who have praised the Drama Lab were Tennessee Williams, Arthur Franz, Lee J. Cobb, Walter Brennan, and James Whitmore who appeared with Grace in a Eugene O'Neill play. Learning of her death this week, Whitmore, a great trouper of stage, screen, television and Academy award nominee, said " Grace was truly a non-parallel, a very special lady against whom most other women pale by comparison, and this news only supports what I've known and held dear for so many years now: She was one of nature's noblewoman, and I'll forever remain in awe of her life-affirming spirit"
Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Mass of Christian Burial on Saturday morning at 9:30 at Holy Cross, Church, Western Ave & Rosement Street in Albany.