F.Cecil Grace graduated from Harvard as an Electronic Engineer. It was before the Pearl Harbor attack that brought the United States into the Second World War. Cecil was one of the select Electronic Engineers our army chose to go to England as military observers and to bring technical information on British radar back to the U. S. He flew training missions and worked in Royal Air Force maintenance shops as part of the ETG (Electronic Training Group).

After the war, Cecil continued his interest in aviation. Cecil has owned two planes, a Funk B and a Commonwealth Skyranger, which he enjoyed flying for pleasure and personal travel. He has a single engine land and sea rating. The Commonwealth was unusual in that it had Handley Page slots. Those not familiar with these can read about them by entering “Handley Page” on Google. Cecil was willing to accept a slightly lower cruise speed for the safety of a lower stall speed.

Cecil later worked with DuMont Television and received a government patent on a device he hoped would be useful in television broadcast stations. He has been acutely aware of the major issues of our times. With scholarly levels declining in our schools and with drugs and delinquency burgeoning, Cecil and his wife Boo decided to try to influence the dialogue of our teenagers in the direction of good instead of evil. They founded the F. Cecil Grace “Operation: Positive Role Model” in 2000. Volunteer student judges examine nominations of other students who have been Role Models over the year. Those selected each receive a one thousand dollar award. The Positive Role Model Program is growing rapidly. It is now formally recognized as a not-for-profit Foundation.

The other major problem that Cecil confronted was global obesity which the United Nations pronounced as the single greatest threat to the health of humankind. He sponsored and financed the invention of a Fullness Program and a diet shake and bar. This project received a U.S. patent in 2002.

In 2011, Cecil will share a family story in a new book, The Last Flight of Cecil S. Grace 100th Anniversary. He hopes this amazing tale will inspire future aviators. Cecil has also compiled a complete list of the family pilots throughout the years.