Grace May Abbott was born in Port Chester, Westchester County, New York on 09 December 1911. She was the daughter of Martin Dominick Abbott and Bertha (Underhill) Abbott. Grace Abbott was married to Edwin Lawrence Thompson, who died in 1981. Grace May (Abbott) Thompson died at East Texas Medical Center in Tyler, Texas on 29 July 1994 at the age of 82. She was buried on 02 August 1994 at Roselawn Memorial Gardens in Mineola, Texas.

The cause of death was injuries from an automobile accident. Grace's place of residence just prior to death was Alba, Wood County, Texas. The informant listed on the death certificate was her daughter Karen Skinner, whose place of residence was Gilmer, Texas.