Grace Kipp
Grace passed from pancreatic cancer in her home town of Hsinchu, Taiwan on March 16th. Grace was known for her adventurous nature, sense of humor and love of food and wine. Grace was a people person and knew how to get people to laugh and feel good with ease. Grace is survived by her husband Scott and many, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews.
Born Tsai Hsiu Hua, Grace took her appropriate name in an English class. When Grace was 20 years old, she moved to America to study English and ended up getting a travel and tourism degree in Dayton, Ohio. She moved back to Taiwan and led international tours around the world for many years. She settled back into Taiwan and was selling imports when she met her future husband Scott Kipp. A little over a year later, they were married in 1998 and honeymooned in Bali.
Grace and Scott moved back to the US and traveled in a conversion van across the US for 4 months before settling in Phoenix and then Westminster, Colorado. Grace graduated with a Culinary Arts degree in 2006 from Johnson and Wales University in Denver where she fell in love with making fine western cuisine. She worked various jobs at fine restaurants before they moved to Kansas City and then into an RV. Scott and Grace traveled across the US for a year in a huge 5th wheel trailer before house sitting for friends in Morgan Hill for 18 months.
They moved to Santa Barbara in 2012 and fell in love with the American Riviera. Grace was active in the Taiwanese community, the Lawn Bowling Club and the Sierra Club. She would regularly go on hikes and runs and her favorite hike was to Franceschi Park. Grace worked for US Foods, Santa Barbara BBQ and the Center for Spiritual Renewal at La Casa de Santa Maria.
Grace would never turn down a chance to travel and went around the world with Scott in 2011. They climbed to Annapurna Base Camp in Nepal and went to Europe annually. Grace loved her family and Taiwanese cuisine and visited Taiwan at least once a year. Grace was a runner and ran one marathon and many races until her illness.
Grace had a kind soul and many people had the pleasure of eating a meal with her and sharing a drink. She will be missed around the world.
A Celebration of Grace will be held on July 15th from 1-4 at Leadbetter Beach.