Grace Carolyn Hagans, 86, of Palm Bay, formerly of Lake City, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 28, 2024 at the Health First Hospital of Palm Bay. She was born in Appalachia, Virginia to the late Kenneth Neeley and Lois Meade. She made Lake City her home most of her life.  For the past six years due to health, she lived in Palm Bay with her son, Jeffrey Hagans.

She was a Columbia High School graduate.  She worked in retail for a few years but Grace loved little children as her career path proved.  Early on she spent some years cooking lunches in a school cafeteria.  Later she cared for babies in the baby room and taught toddlers while working in Niceville and Lake City daycares.  She even served as director for one of the daycares but she most enjoyed holding and caring for the littlest children.  She doted on her grandchildren and was able to hold and love on her great grandchildren this last year.

Grace was a wonderful cook and loved to collect recipes.  She was known for bringing the most delicious dishes to family gatherings and church potlucks.  Some of these dishes often contained homegrown produce as she tended a family garden for many years.  Grace was an expert at crocheting.  She gifted afghans, quilts, baby dresses, dolls, stuffed animals, dishcloths, and so much more to family and friends.  She always had yarn on hand for her next incredible crochet gift.  In her later years, Grace enjoyed reading, playing digital games, watching gameshow TV and keeping up with her friends and family online and through telephone conversations.

She is preceded in death by her husband of 53 years, Jack D. Hagans; brothers, Earl Neeley and Charles Neeley; and her sister, Beulah Hardy.

She is survived by her sons, Jeffrey Hagans (Eldean) of Palm Bay and Kenneth Hagans of Palm Bay formerly of Lake City; and her sisters, June Burnham of Lake City and Lorraine Hayes of Bristol, VA. Three grandchildren, Scott, Deanna and Rebekah; and three great-grandchildren, Ruth, Philip and Benjamin are her lasting legacy.

A funeral service for Mrs. Hagans will be conducted on Friday, June 7, 2024 at 11:00 A.M. in the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, 1205 SW Mt. Carmel Ave., Lake City, FL 32024, with Rev. Richard Cason officiating. Interment will follow in the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends for a time of visitation beginning at 10:00 A.M. prior to the service at the church.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to One More Child https://onemorechild.org