Person Page - 113

     Louis Pace was born circa 1961.¹ He married Denise (?)
     Louis Pace was a member of the Maltese American Social Club in 1988. He was a member of the Maltese American Social Club in 2009.

     George Quilliam was born in Malta. He married Carmela Abela.¹

     Carmela Abela married George Quilliam.¹
     Her married name was Quilliam.¹

     Vincent Pace married Victoria (?)¹

     Victoria (?) married Vincent Pace.¹
     Her married name was Pace.¹

     Karen (?) married Alfred Pace, son of Louis S. Pace Sr. and Joan Quilliam.
     Her married name was Pace.

     Connor Pace was born.

     Dylan Pace was born.

     Zoryana (?) married Vincent Pace, son of Louis S. Pace Sr. and Joan Quilliam.
     Her married name was Pace.

     Denise (?) married Louis Pace, son of Louis S. Pace Sr. and Joan Quilliam.
     Her married name was Pace.

     Matthew Pace was born.

     Mario Pace was born.

     Janelle Pace was born.

     Jillian Pace was born.

     Scott Spencer married Elayne Pace, daughter of Louis S. Pace Sr. and Joan Quilliam.

     Mary Pace was born on 21 September 1925 in Malta. She married Joseph Bonnici on 7 March 1942 at Malta.¹ Mary Pace died on 29 March 2009 at El Dorado, CA, USA, at age 83.
     As of 1942,her married name was Bonnici. She was living in 2008 in Placerville, CA, USA.
Obituary: on 2 April 2009: Child:      
Jim Rootness
Vivian Rootness
Lorraine Burgess
Fred Burgess
Andrew Bonnici
Lynee Bonnici
John Bonnici
Diana Bonnici
Siblings:      
Vivian Schembri
Jessie Pace
France Pace
Louis Pace.

     Joseph Bonnici was born on 24 April 1920 in Luqa, Malta. He married Mary Pace, daughter of Vincent Pace and Victoria (?), on 7 March 1942 at Malta.¹ Joseph Bonnici died in March 1997 at El Dorado, CA, USA, at age 76.
     He emigrated from Malta on 7 June 1949 to New York, NY, USA. He was naturalized in September 1950 at San Francisco, CA, USA.

     Jessie Pace was born in Malta.
     She was living in 2008 in Malta.

     Vivian Pace was born in Malta. She married Joseph Schembri.
     Her married name was Schembri. Vivian Pace was living in 2014 in Malta.

     Joseph Schembri married Vivian Pace, daughter of Vincent Pace and Victoria (?). Joseph Schembri died before 2008 at Malta.

     Francis Pace was born in Malta. He died before 2008.

     Mary Rosaria Falzon was born on 14 December 1927 in Malta.¹ She married Paul Joseph Grech, son of Frank Pacifico Grech and Josephine Galea, on 6 June 1953 at San Francisco, San Francisco Co., CA, USA.¹ Mary Rosaria Falzon died on 31 August 2014 at Sebastopol, CA, USA, at age 86; age 86.¹
     Mary Rosaria Falzon was also known as Mary Tanti.
Mary Rosaria Falzon She was a nun before she was married. As of 1953,her married name was Grech.¹ She was naturalized on 29 August 1956 at San Francisco, CA, USA. She was living in 1969 in Sacramento, CA, USA. She witnessed the Newspaper of Violet Mary Chetcuti and Maltese In the News on 1 June 2001 at San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco, CA, USA; Santa Rosa gains another war hero By Kelly St föhn
Vioiet Agius never kept it a secret that in Malta as a child, she witnessed pain, death and hunger almost daily during World War II. But the Santa Rosa resident didn’t talk about it either. That is until a suprise gift from her son changed all that. Joe Agius of San Bruno wasn't with his mother at Christmas, but he sent a package with simple orders: Take Violet Agius' picture when she opens it. It was a framed silver medal — a replica of the George Cross, Britain's highest honor for civilian bravery - that Violet and the rest of Malta earned six decades ago. But the bubbly grandmother didn't smile and jump for joy. She ran to the bathroom. "I cried for two days," she said. "All the honor came through my mind.” Controlled by Britain and strategically located near Italy’s coast, Malta was a key Axis target, starved by a blockade and attacked almost daily by German and Italian air forces. About 14,000 bombs were dropped on the tiny island that's just over 300 square kilometers, making it one of the most heavily bombed areas during the war. In 1942, Britain's King George VI acknowledged Malta's suffering with an unprecedented gesture. He granted the George Cross medal - Britain's highest honor for civilian bravery — to every Maltese citizen living there during the war.
That's the big story the history book tells. Violetl Agius remembers the little things. As a 12-year-old girl, the English soldiers stationed at her mother's farm taught her how to defuse the small butterfly-shaped bombs that littered the Malta countryside. She used a pen point to gently wind the hands of a clock in their middle. "Even now, when I see a nun’s watch, that’s what 1 think of. It’s amazing now the mind works, she recalled. "You are a kid, and you’re learning all these things.’’ A German fighter plot swooped down over a field wiere she was walking with her mother one day. There was no shelter nearby, so they dived to the ground. A bullet grazed Volet Agius’ head, but she and her mother survived.
“We just got up and looked at each other. It was an ugly silence,’’ she said.
Agius was also with her mother when they encountered an injured German pilot who’d jettisoned from his plane. As they approached, her rrother asked him if he spoke English. In silence, he drew his pistol and shot himself in the temple. The war also thwarted Agius' schooling, and she regrets never completing high school.
But, Agius recalled, it also brought strange moments of beauty. During a nighttime backout, she heard the buzz of German planes, the sky was lit up by red parachute flares floating down to Earth. “I like to remember the day we saw the parachute flares. Malta was lit up more than the sun,^:> she said.
Agius' son, Joe Agius, 49, never served in the military, but he is fascinated by military history and wartime collectibles.
He grew up always knowing that his mother endured hardships during the war, but after he became a parent himself, he came to appreciate what she went through, he said. Then he came up with the idea ot getting the medal.
“I wanted her to understand how much trauma she’d seen in her childhood.’ he said. “People don’t say thanks to people who survived and endured as civilians.”
Among survivors, friendships endured as well. Sebastopol resident Mary Grech, 73, lived just down the street from Violet Agius' home in the Maltese town of Mosta. Agius' sister was hiding in a public shelter during one air raid that devastated a hospital nearby. She survived. Grech’s father didn’t.
“In our backyard, we had grapevines. I saw my dad trying to tie them onto the wall. Then when the air raid came, we went one way to one shelter, while he ran the other way, Grech recalled. 'That was the last thing I saw of him.”
Born Violet Chetcuti in a family of 11, Agius met her future husband at a Maltese Catholic school where both were taking music lessons. She had considered becoming a nun, but at age 21 she married a young seminary student instead.
In 1953, the couple — Violet Agius eight months pregnant — traveled by ship to San Francisco. The marriage ended in 1972, and Agius resettled in Lake Tahoe. She landed a job as a captain in a casino showroom, and later worked with celebrities such as Ann Margret, Liberace and Wayne Newton.
Three years ago, Agius moved to Santa Rosa to be closer to her grown children; besides her son, Joe Agius, she has daughters living in Healdsburg and Chico.
Since she received her son's gift, Agius has been talking about the war — and not just with her old friend Grech. She said she relates to Sen. John Kerrey's very public dialogue about his experience killing civilians during the Vietnam War. “People are coming out to show ‘don’t do wars.’ People hear him because he’s a big man,” she said. “And there’s a lot of people that say a lot of things.” “It was living in fear, all the whole five years. You never knew when you were going to get it,” Grech said. “So the ones that stayed alive, it was a miracle.”.
Obituary: on 23 September 2014: Mary was born in Malta on December 14, 1927 and passed peacefully on August 31, 2014. She traveled to the United States in the early 1950's and settled in San Francisco. After a few short years she met and married Paul Grech in 1953. They moved to Sacramento where they raised three boys on a 600 acre ranch. In 1997 Mary and Paul moved to Sebastopol to spend more time with their grandchildren. Paul passed away in the year 2000. After his passing Mary became very active with the church, volunteering with hospice, and traveling. She has seen many parts of the world and has enjoyed her life to the fullest. She leaves behind her sons, Patrick, James (wife Kathy), and Dean, her grandchildren, Kelli, Kerri, and Patrick Jr., her great-grandchildren Weston and Rilyn, and daughter-in-law Barbara. Rosary will be said October 1st at 7:30 p.m. Mass will be said October 3rd at 10:00 a.m. A reception and celebration of Mary's life will follow the mass; all will be at Saint Sebastian Catholic Church, 7983 Covert Lane, Sebastopol, CA. In lieu of flowers, donations to Sutter Hospice, the
, or the Diabetes Foundation would be greatly appreciated.
Published Online in the Press Democrat from Sept. 23 to Sept. 26, 2014.
Obituary: : Passed peacefully in Sebastopol on August 31st at the age of 86, she joins her husband Paul who passed on July 5th 2000.Mary is survived by her son Pat Grech and former daughter-in-law Barbara Cilia, son Jim and wife Kathy, and son Dean.She leaves grandchildren Kelli Grech, Kerri and husband AJ Jensen and Patrick Grech, and her great grandchildren Weston and Rilyn Jensen. Mary retired after many years of service to Sacramento County. She will be lovingly remembered by her family and friends. Services to be held at St. Sebastian's Church 7983 Covert Lane Sebastopol CA.Rosary 7:30 PM 10/1/2014.Mass 10:00 AM 10/3/2014 In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to Sutter Hospice,
, American Diabetes Foundation.

     Patrick Joseph Grech was born in July 1954 in Sacramento, CA, USA.¹ He married Barbara Kay Cilia.
     Patrick Joseph Grech was living in 2021 in Sebastopol, CA, USA.

     James Grech was born circa 1957 in Sacramento, CA, USA.¹ He married Kathleen Louise (?)¹
     James Grech was living in 2000 in Grass Valley, CA, USA.

     Kathleen Louise (?) married James Grech, son of Paul Joseph Grech and Mary Rosaria Falzon.¹
     Her married name was Grech.¹

     Dean P. Grech was born circa 1960 in Sacramento, CA, USA.¹ Biography Dean Grech: Jazz Guitar / Vocalist / Composer
Dean Grech always knew he wanted to make music. At the age of seven, he went to a wedding & ended up sitting at the edge of the stage all night & watching the band. Immediately after, he began hounding his parents for a guitar. With an old broken-down piano in the garage, they of course, encouraged him to take up piano. After a year of him refusing to touch the piano & more persistent hounding, he finally got his guitar.

Dean began playing at age 8. At that point, he locked himself in his room and a lifetime of dedication began. After developing his skills for a few years, he started playing professionally with local rock bands, always being the youngest in the band. By age 11, he had his first paying gig.

As his skills evolved, his uncle encouraged him to learn classical guitar, which he developed a great love for. By the time Dean was 14, he was fortunate enough to be selected to study classical guitar with world-renowned Decca recording artist Rey Delatorre, who later became a personal and musical inspiration to him. Delatorre had hopes that Dean would one day be a concert classical guitarist. However, this dream was sideswiped by a family friend, Jim Polletti, who happened to drop off a stack of seemingly innocent jazz records.

In that stack were “Kaleidoscope” by Johnny Smith & “Boss Guitar” by Wes Montgomery. The hook was embedded. The sounds of these two guitar players haunted him relentlessly from that point on.

Within the next few years, Dean began learning to play jazz and at 19 went on to study at Berklee School of Music in Boston, which led him to a career in music. He toured & played with various jazz and pop artists around the world. He also played on television & movie soundtracks and has had success as a songwriter for various American & European artists. Like most successful L.A. musicians, he played at Disney & performed on their world tours for seven years. He currently plays in the L.A. area solo and also with many different configurations of musical groups.

Today his music can be found anywhere from TV, movie sound tracks to jazz radio. “We Got Lost” the title track of his 2014 CD was one of the songs chosen for the music along with Dean as a guest artist appearing on the PBS special with – John Lowson (Grammy Award winning engineer) “ How We make Music For CD’s And Downloads”. The song “Two Strong Arms” (Dean Grech/Reggie Ashley), was featured in Dustin Lance Black’s 2011 motion picture release “ Virginia”, starring Ed Harris and Jennifer Connelly. In December 2010, Dean’s Christmas song, “What do you want for Christmas” (Grech/Ashley), rose to #1 most added song on Smooth Jazz Radio (Smooth Jazz.com), beating out Quincy Jones, Spencer Day, and Dave Koz. As a Lace product endorser, Dean can be found in the Lace Music guitar pickup demonstration videos.

His compositions have been featured on many radio, internet and DMX stations. His first single, "Funky Talk" (from the album “Look Out”), was the song of choice for the Japanese McDonald’s Healthy Choice campaign. “Funky Talk” charted #1 on Billboard’s BDS Radio Chart. It was also the most added song on the DMX Smooth Jazz List and Groove Jazz Charts.

Dean has performed on stages all over the world, including Finland, Malta, Canada and Costa Rica. Most recently, Dean performed at the KSBR Jazz Fest/Birthday Bash, as a solo artist and also with Brian Bromberg, Mindi Abair, and Greg Adams. His debut album, “Look Out”, was a featured CD on the JazzNet247 Radio Show, “Make It Saxy”. In October 2009, “I Don’t Believe” was a featured track on Café Jazz Radio, with Ted Hasiuk, as the “best track for 90 days”. In December 2009, Dean was the featured artist of the month for Lace Guitar Pickups, Smooth Jazz Beach Radio, and WUMR Memphis’ top 10 weekly countdown.

Stay tuned for Dean’s new recording, “We got lost” which is scheduled for release in March of 2014. This album features a top notch crew of players featuring Greg Vail on sax, Hans Zermuehlen on keyboards, and John Ferraro on drums. On the new disc, Grech melds his cool jazz styling’s with slippery grooves, an R&B sensibility, and a compelling vocal presentation. Saturated with adventures musical textures, Dean Grech’s out of the box collection of tunes is well worth the wait.
     As of 2014, Dean P. Grech lived at Long Beach, CA, USA; http://www.deangrech.com/
Dean Grech
Phone: 562-235-4934
Long Beach, California.

     Francis P. Grech was born circa 1884 in Malta. He died on 11 January 1939; age 55. He was buried on 14 January 1939 at Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, San Mateo Co., CA, USA. Biography The Great Exodus by Fr. Lawrence E. Attard, 1989:
"By the late twenties the Maltese population in and around San Francisco was about 5,000. When, during the Depression, emigration from Malta to the U.S.A. not only dwindled but also a number of Maltese decided to return to their country, the Maltese in California stood their own and were not as badly hit as their countrymen in Detroit and New. York. According to Mr. Francis Grech, who was responsible for the Maltese Club of San Francisco, the Maltese in California were in a stable condition, even if some were out of work. The same club was busy with phiantropic work in the Maltese community. Mr. Grech claimed that the Maltese mixed well with other people, some men had married American women and most of them had decided to opt for American citizenship.
Mr. Grech was himself a highly intelligent emigrant who had done his studies in engineering before he left for the U.S.A. He had worked on the Golden Gate Bridge and had been officially commended for his work. He was also very active within his ethnic community. He had opened the Maltese Club of San Francisco on February 1, 1930. The Club was first located in a pacious hall on 1648 Oakdale Avenue. An Inauguration Ball was held on opening day. Mr. Grech himself served as the first president.
According to Mr. Grech, on the day the Club was inaugurated, most Maltese living in the Bay Area wanted to get inside. It was not possible for everybody to be accommodated and many had to be turned back.
In his opening speech the President regretted the fact that some people had to be turned back but he assured his hearers that his association was willing to cooperate fully with local authorities to help further the welfare of the Maltese living in the Bay Area. Mr. Grech also reminded those present of the importance of learning English if they wanted to be successful. He promised to organise classes so that thoswe willing to learn English whould be given the opportunity to do so. The President concluded his speech by auguring a bright future for the Club.
In less than five years the Maltese Club of San Francisco had seven hundred and fifty enrolled members thus making it the major Maltese organisation in the area. The Club worked in cooperation with the Parish, and although Mr. Greech and Father Cachia did have their differences, they always put the well-being of their community above every other consideration.
In October 1930, eight months after the opening of the Club, a Maltese Band was set up. The bandsmen, twenty-five of them, posed for their official photograph, resplendent in their new uniforms. The director of the Band was Mr. Charles Fenech. When the bandmaster presented his first public performance, Father Cachia, the pastor of the Maltese Parish, presented him with a Maltese Flag. According to an observer from New York who happened to be visiting the Maltese community in San Francisco, the new band was the pride of the Maltese living in California. In March 1940 the Maltese Band celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of the creation of the Parish. That same year was also the tenth anniversary of the Band and it was thought fitting to commermorate the two events.
Charles Fenech wrote that the Maltese Band was popular with the Maltese and with the Americans. It was being invited for municipal, State and County engagements. In later years Maestro Fenech also set up a String Orchestra which played a number of hits which were in demand at the time.
Besides the Band and the Orchestra, the members of the Maltese Club decided to organise a dramatic company which they named as "Vittoria". The director was Frank Cutajar. Plays like "Othello" were produced in Maltese translations because Frank Cutajar thought that there were many good dramatic companies in the area which were capable of presenting theatrical works in English. Only his "Vittoria" was able to give good entertainment in Maltese. Mr. F. Cutajar was also of the opinion that while integration was necessary there was no reason why the Maltese should lose their language and their identity.
In 1930 Mr. Joseph Borg wrote a special play which dealt with teh victory of the Maltese over the Turks in 1565. When the Club of San Francisco held its festivities on Malta's National Day, september 8, the play written by Joseph Borg formed an added attraction. The company "Vittoria" also presented three more plays in Maltese: Pagliacciu, Il Kuncert ta Teatrin, and Il Prinioli Misteriusi.
Mr. P.P. Vella was asked to give a lecture on the significance of the victory of 1565. When the talk was over, the curtain was raised and a panorama of the Grand Harbor appeared. That scene was ably painted by Mr. Lawrence Camilleri. Then a boy dressed as a Knight of Malta, appeared on the stage to hoist a Maltese flag. This was greeted by a tremendous applause. Next followed the mystic prayer by the poet Dun Karm which was later to be adopted as the National Anthem of Malta: "Lil Din l-Art Helwa" which in English could be rendered as "To this Fair Land". The paryer was sung by the children's choir under the baton of Maestro Charles Fenech. The boys in the choir were dressed as Knights of Malta whereas the girls were in the traditional colours, white and red.
Miss Esther Sherry sand her solo part wheich was enthusiatically received. She was asked to sing the "prayer" again and again. Twelve tableaux vivants were presented. Three of these were received with great applause. The three depicted:
1. "Triumphant Malta Saluting the Blessed Virgin" with Esther Sherry singing the Ave Maria accompanied by Mr. Charles Scicluna as violinist and Mrs. C. Frendo on the piano.
2. "La Valette Exhorting Malta" was presented by Emmanuel Falzon helped by his troupe called "Int Sabieha O Malta taghna" (You are so fair, Our Malta)
3. "Malta Mourning the Brave" which came as an epilogue to the raising of the Great Siege and the subsequent Christian victory of September 8, 1565.
In November 1930, Mr. F. Grech, president of the Maltese Club of San Francisco, wrote to Malta to complain about the fact that his Club received no official recognition from the Maltese Government even though they did what they could to publicise Malta. He also mentioned the fact that his members had contributed a substantial sum towards the Malta War Memofiral for Children. This they had done in spite of the hard times which were being experienced by most people in America. Mr. Grech reminded his readers in Malta that Maltese immigrants living in the U.S.A. were working people who had to strive hard to earn their living.
Mr. Grech also said that he and his members offered their assistance to those Maltese who arrived in San Francisco. He also pointed out that it was the policy of his Club to teach the children of Matese migrants something about their culture and history. This they did by getting toghether on special occasions which were dear to the Maltese in Malta. Finally Mr. F. Grech mentioned the activities which were being done by the "vittoria" dramatic company, the Band and the STring Orchestra and by their soccer team. He hoped to open a small lending library which would make available books in English and Maltese, to those who wished to find good books. The library would also help to combat illiteracy which was such a major drawback hindering the progress of a number of Maltese."
      Francis P. Grech was President of Maltese American Social Club, 1930-1932, 1936 in 1930 at San Francisco, CA, USA.
Francis P. Grech founded the Maltese American Social Club and was its First President. A plaque at the club: "This hall is dedicated in honor of FRANK GRECH First President & Founder, November, 1929." on 1 February 1930.
Soccer Club Maltese Picture of Maltese Soccer Club and Francis Grech. Francis P. Grech was also known as Frank P. Grech.

     Concetta Georgette Grace (?) was born on 19 April 1912 in Zabbar, Malta. She married Vincent Darmanin on 6 June 1931 at Zabbar, Malta.
     As of 6 June 1931,her married name was Darmanin. Concetta Georgette Grace (?) emigrated from Malta on 27 June 1948 to New York, NY, USA. She was naturalized on 1 June 1965 at San Francisco, CA, USA.

     Barbara Kay Cilia was born circa 1955. She married Patrick Joseph Grech, son of Paul Joseph Grech and Mary Rosaria Falzon.
     Her married name was Grech. Research.

     Giuseppe Fenech was born circa 1906 in Mosta, Malta; age 14 in 1920.
     He emigrated with Margharita Calleja and Thomas Charles Fenech on 1 November 1920 at New York, NY, USA; Margarita Fenech, Mosta, 42, housewife, on the Niagara; and Tommaso, Mosta, 17, joiner, on the Niagara; and Giuseppe, Mosta, 14, on the Niagara. Vis Ellis Island, NY.¹