Grace Allen Testa, 68, of McAlester, died Thursday, July 30, 2009, in McAlester.

Memorial services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Richville Baptist Church with Joe Randazzo officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Brumley-Mills Funeral Home of McAlester.

Born Sept. 23, 1940, in Krebs, she was the daughter of Allen Newton and Anna Belle (Rice) Southard. She was a graduate of McAlester High School and earned her bachelors degree from Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant.

She married Don Testa on July 5, 1958, in Poteau. After marriage she began her teaching career in home economics, teaching at Pittsburg High School and later teaching in the elementary school at Krebs.

The family moved to Stigler for a time. After coming back to the McAlester, she then became employed at McAlester Regional Health Center, where she worked for more than 20 years, retiring in 2002 as the housekeeping director.

Earlier in life she attended the Seventh-day Adventist Church in McAlester and of late she was attending the Richville Baptist Church. She enjoyed taking care of her animals, reading, sewing, quilting and crocheting.

Survivors include husband, Don Testa, of the home; one son, Don Cris Testa and wife, Patricia, of McAlester.

Also, one grandson, Christopher Grant Testa and Mary, of McAlester; two great-grandsons, Alex and Ian.

And, two brothers, Clarence Southard and wife, Kitty, of McAlester, and Kenneth Southard and wife, Maxine, of the Ash Creek Community, and four sisters, Dorothy Todd and husband, Carl, of Haywood, Ruth Pickering and husband, Ed, of Bokoshe, Alice Day and husband, Lawrence, Douglas, Ga., and Clara Garcia, of Haileyville.

She was preceded in death by her parents; three brothers, Doyle, Jack and Richard Southard, and a sister, Mildred Steidley.