Who We Are …

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Back Row  (L-R) Suzanne Woods, David Timothy (“Tim”) Woods, James (”Jim”) Ailes, Jr.

Front Row (L-R) Sr. Amy Williams, Sherry Anderson, Sharon Sparacino

James “Jim” Ailes, Jr. is the son of James R. (Randy) Ailes and Concetta (Connie) Ailes.  All of Jim’s immediate family (his parents, older sister Joyce and younger brother Bob) are deceased.  Jim is married and has three children and three grandchildren.  Jim’s life path began with the receiving of Jesus Christ as his savior in 1972. His career path followed many twists and turns as he first received a B.S. in Physics in 1978 and then went on to seminary and received a Master of Divinity in 1983. Jim pastored three churches between 1984 and 2008, at which point his path changed again and he became certified as a Cytotechnologist in 2010. Jim began his career as a hospice chaplain with Allegheny Health Network in 2016, which included his service as chaplain in the AHN (formerly Forbes Hospice) Inpatient Unit located at West Penn Hospital. Jim then  received a vision from the Lord to pursue what will soon be Grace Hospice Home and he continues to follow God’s call in  pursuing that vision as President and Founder of Grace Hospice Home.

Sherry Anderson grew up in Delmont, PA and is married and the mother of one son.  Sherry’s Christian faith is the center of her life and she is very active in church ministry. Sherry received training in administrative work and later went on to pursue training as a physical therapy technician. It was during her training in physical therapy that Sherry heard a lecture about hospice care and realized it was her calling. Sherry was able to live out this calling through a long and fulfilling career at Forbes Hospice. Sherry spent 12 years working as a Certified Nursing Assistant doing hospice home care and helped create a training manual for other CNAs.  Sherry eventually transitioned from home care to the Forbes Hospice Inpatient Unit where she continued to work as a CNA for an additional four years while serving on a national board to create the first certification exam for hospice nursing assistants.  Sherry completed her 25 year hospice career serving as unit secretary for the Forbes Hospice (later AHN) Inpatient Unit.  She now serves as Secretary of this Founding Committee and works passionately to help bring to life the vision of Grace Hospice Home.

Suzanne Woods has been married for 53 years to her high school sweetheart Tim.  Suzanne and Tim have four grown children and six grandchildren. Suzanne has been a Registered Nurse since 1981 and her nursing career has included working in the fields of maternity, radiation oncology and inpatient hospice. For Suzanne, hospice nursing is not just a job, but a calling.  Both of Suzanne’s parents were on hospice for their final journey. Suzanne believes that being with patients and their families in their last days is an honor and a privilege. Her desire and prayer is that this service may continue with Grace Hospice Home.

David Timothy (“Tim”) Woods has been married to his wife Suzanne for 53 years.  Tim and Suzanne raised four children and now enjoy spending time with their six grandchildren.  Tim’s professional career focused on business and retail management. Tim has also spent many years serving as an elder and teacher in his church.  Tim learned about and grew in appreciation of the field of hospice through his wife’s career as a hospice nurse and through the experience of witnessing family members receiving loving hospice care at end of life. Tim has given of his time and energy as a supportive member of the Grace Hospice Home Founding Committee because it is important to Tim that other families have a peaceful setting in which to receive this type of loving end of life care.

Sharon Sparacino was born and raised in Erie, Pa and moved to Pittsburgh when she married her husband, Chris.  They have three married children, 3 grandchildren with one more on the way.  Sharon’s mother, Terry Plumb, died of ovarian cancer on February 17, 1979, at home surrounded by her loved ones.   There were not hospices in Erie at that time, but Terry was able to die at home because her family was able to care for her and her dream was to see hospices available to people who wanted to die at home with their loved ones rather than in a hospital alone.  After graduating from Gannon with a degree in Business Management, Sharon worked at Magee Womens Hospital in Patient Accounting Management and then in the Information Services Department before deciding to pursue a nursing career.  She graduated in 2006 from Duquesne University with her BSN with a desire to eventually become a hospice nurse.  Sharon’s dream to carry on her mother’s wishes came to fruition in October of 2012 when she started working at Forbes Hospice Inpatient Unit (later known as AHN Hospice).  Although AHN Inpatient Hospice Unit has closed its doors, she has continued her hospice career at Monarch Hospice in Lower Burrell as a casual staff nurse.  Sharon is an active member of Holy Family Parish in Oakmont, Verona and Plum.  She is honored to be part of this journey and looks forward to seeing what God holds in store for Grace Hospice Home.

Sr. Amy Williams is a member of the religious congregation of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities.  The seed for a ministry in hospice care was first planted in Sr. Amy‘s heart when she was blessed with the role of caregiver to her grandmother, who died of liver cancer in 2002 while on hospice care.  This seed was nurtured from 2008-2010 when, as a novice with the Sisters of St. Francis, Amy was gifted with the opportunity to experience hospice care as an aide in the loving environment of Francis House, the first community based home for the dying, established in Syracuse, NY in 1991.  The seed has continued to flourish as Sr. Amy lives out her calling to provide hospice care as a Certified Hospice and Palliative RN in both home and inpatient hospice settings. Amy feels honored to be part of the Grace Hospice Home Founding Committee and to help in bringing this social model of hospice care to Pittsburgh.

Grace Hospice Home’s initial  Founding Committee was formed in January 2018.   Our current Founding Committee consists of James R. Ailes, Jr., Founder and President; Sherry Anderson, Secretary; and Suzanne Woods, Treasurer, with Timothy Woods, Sharon Sparacino and Sr. Amy Williams, OSF serving in supportive roles.

Grace Hospice Home was incorporated in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on March 19, 2018.

Our Mission Statement and Core Values were established on April 30, 2018.

An Advisory Board was officially formed in April 2018.  The current Advisory Board includes Michael Eperesi, Megan Maclellan, W. Grant Scott and Mark Studeny.

Our organization‘s By-Laws were adopted and approved on October 22, 2018.

Grace Hospice Home’s 501(c)(3) status  as a not-for-profit organization was approved  by the IRS in April 2022.

Prioritizing our efforts to find and purchase 10-15 acres of land on which to establish a 3-unit pilot home, with a long term plan of expanding and constructing a 12-unit home and education center.

Marketing Grace Hospice Home and initiating  fundraising efforts.

Establishing connections with local hospice agencies.