Grace Belknap Illman (April 22, 1918 - February 11, 2014) was an American teacher, gardener, wife, and mother. Born in Walla Walla, Washington, to Courtney and Florence Belknap, she graduated from Oregon State University in 1942. During World War II, Illman served as a brevet lieutenant in the Army Air Corps at Scott Field, Illinois, where she taught aircraft radio operations. While at Scott Field, she also met her future husband, Walter Illman. In 1945, Illman moved to Greensboro, North Carolina where she wed Walt in 1948. Grace taught vocational education at Greensboro (Grimsely) High School and later worked as a full-time substitute teacher at Kiser Junior High School. Illman was an avid gardener and joined the Westridge Gardeners in 1952, and, in 1956, she served as President of the Greensboro Council of Garden Clubs. Illman was recognized as the Mary Seymour Woman of the Year in 2011 in recognition of all she had done for the Garden Council and the community of Greensboro at large.



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