Grace Eleanor Feichtinger

Grace Eleanor (Pohlman) Feichtinger, 88, died peacefully in her sleep at her Dallas home on July 4, 2019, with her beloved husband George by her side.  She was born August 8, 1930 in Buffalo, New York to William Martin and Edna Ida (Hickman) Pohlman.  Grace grew up in a close-knit family that included her parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. She lived through the Great Depression and was part of the Greatest Generation. Grace graduated as valedictorian from Hamburg High School.  She attended Mount Holyoke College, where she sang and toured with the college choir, and graduated with a BA in History in 1952.  It was during college that she met her future husband George on a blind date.  They fell in love and were married on September 26, 1953, after George returned from his U.S. Army service overseas.

Grace and George began their journey in New York City, and moved around before settling in Dallas, Texas in 1973, after living in Stamford, Connecticut, Rochester, New York, Wilton, Connecticut, and Dayton, Ohio. In 1979, Grace and George purchased Dallas Meter-Tek, a regional telecommunications distributor that they ran from side-by-side desks with Grace serving as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.  Grace and George retired in 1999 to give them more time to spend on family, travel and personal interests.

Grace had a strong Christian faith and was a longtime member of Messiah Lutheran Church in Richardson and then Plano, where she sang first soprano in the choir for many years.  Grace was an avid reader, especially of biographies, historical nonfiction, and murder mysteries.  She excelled at crossword puzzles and solitaire and knowledge of world history.  She was active in the Mount Holyoke Alumni Association.  An enthusiastic bridge player, Grace enjoyed playing couples and ladies bridge with her church friends.  She had a special artistic talent that was on display in her singing, piano playing, paintings and sculptures. Grace and George were members of the Dallas Museum of Art and Kimbell Art Museum, and attended the Dallas Theater Center, Theater Three and Dallas Symphony Orchestra for many years.  Their love of travel took them around the world to continents and countries including England, Ireland, and throughout Western and Eastern Europe, Machu Pichu and throughout South America, Africa, Russia, China, Japan and India, New Zealand, Mexico, Canada and throughout the United States.

Grace was devoted to her family.  She treasured the time she spent with her grandchildren, passing on her love of books, music and art, sharing family history and stories, and creating special family celebrations.  Grace was known for her warmth, wit and kindness.  Her generous and loving nature put people at ease.  Words can never express how much she meant to her family and friends.  Grace will be dearly missed, but we rejoice in a life well lived.

Grace is survived by her devoted husband of 66 years, George; daughter Gail Feichtinger and her husband Robert Geiger of Minneapolis; son Bruce Feichtinger and his partner Ellen Smith of Houston; daughter Beth Downs and her husband Brian Downs of Southlake, and her four grandchildren, Alexandra Geiger, Elena Geiger, Christopher Downs and Miranda Downs; sister Ann Lang, and brother Richard Pohlman and his wife Karen.  She was preceded in death by her parents and brother William.

Grace’s family would like to thank the medical staff at Texas Oncology for the caring treatment she received during her brief but courageous fight.  In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Grace’s name be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK  73123-1718, www.cancer.org , 1-800-ACS-2345; or Doctors Without Borders, P.O. Box 5030, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5030, donate.doctorswithoutborders.org , 1-888-392-0392.

A Celebration of Grace’s life will be held on Saturday, August 10, 2019 at 11 a.m. at Messiah Lutheran Church, 1801 West Plano Parkway, Plano, Texas 75075, with Rev. Dr. Victor Kohlmann, Senior Pastor, officiating.  A luncheon at the church will follow the service.  Grace will be interred in the Messiah Lutheran Church Columbarium after a private family service.