Aracy Motta Duarte was born January 5, 1939, in the city of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. She was the middle child of Joao Luiz Amaral Duarte's and Manuela Dias da Motta's nine surviving children.  Aracy grew up in the countryside on her family's rice farm, and wintered in the city.  From her earliest days she was serving others.  Whether it be helping care for her younger siblings or helping feed the many workers who were employed on her parents' farm, she was always eager to help.  Once she graduated from high school, Aracy began working at a fashion boutique in Pelotas.  She met two missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while there and, after experiencing a powerful answer to her prayers, Aracy was converted.  She embarked on her lifelong dedication to the Church with a two-year mission in Porto Alegre, Brazil and has since steadfastly followed her faith and shared its joy and love with others.  During her mission, Aracy traveled around the state of Rio Grande do Sul helping to organize Primary Sunday Schools and the Women's Relief Society organizations in countless new congregations.  After completing this task, Aracy worked as the manager of a major department store in Porto Alegre, Brazil for several years.  In 1970 she was encouraged to move to the United States by her friend Nadia and left Brazil to embark on the next phase of her life's adventure.

Aracy arrived in New York City in June of 1970.  While living there she began working as a nanny for a family in Queens.  Aracy had always been called to serve with children and it became clear that she was blessed with the selflessness and tenderness to care for God's little ones.  It was during this time that she visited friends in Chicago and was set up on a blind date with George Johannesen, Jr.  After a few months of long-distance dating, Aracy moved to Chicago and became engaged to George.  They were married in the fall of 1971 in the Salt Lake City, Utah temple.  In August of 1972, Aracy was blessed with a beautiful girl whom they named Alice after her great grandmother.  Alice was their only child.  The couple moved from Chicago to Springfield, Illinois in August of 1973.  Although Aracy later divorced George, they remained close.  She watched over him and cared for him daily in his later years and until the end of his life.

On September 24,1982, Aracy became a citizen of the United States.  For over 30 years Aracy worked for the Jennings/Klein family, whom she loved and cared for as if they were her family.  In fact, to Aracy, who warmly welcomed the people she encountered into her heart, they were her family.  Aracy owned five apartments and industriously invested in them until her death.  She fondly called many of her tenants her "kids."

Aracy had a great love for children. Her dream when coming to the United States had been to open an orphanage for disabled children.  Although she was never able to fulfill that dream, Aracy touched the lives of many children throughout her life.  Her deep love of children was tangibly felt, whether it was while she worked as a Montessori School assistant, a church nursery teacher or as a Primary Sunday School teacher. This love for all children gave her unending joy and, even though she only had one child, she considered everyone as her own beloved.  Even in her last weeks, Aracy enjoyed and took great comfort in the blessings of her grandchildren and the warm wishes of other children, many now grown, whose lives she had influenced for good.

Aracy met her callings to the Church with great reverence and fervor, and over her life it provided her much joy.  Aracy's first calling, Primary President over 100 children, came a few months after becoming a member.  It was her task to ensure that those children were taught the gospel of Jesus Christ and that each one felt His love.  Over the years Aracy served many other roles in the Church.  She was a Young Women's President in Chicago, a Women's Relief Society teacher, an adult Sunday School teacher, Regional Stake Choir Director, and Women's Relief Society secretary for the southern Brazil mission.

Aracy often said that her greatest accomplishment was her daughter, Alice, who was her pride and joy.  She poured her heart into caring for her daughter and took much pleasure in watching Alice grow up, become an attorney, and bring two beautiful grandchildren into the world.  Aracy will be dearly missed by all her loved ones.

Aracy is survived by her daughter, Alice Wanda Johannesen-Stine, her son-in-law Stephen James Stine, her two grandchildren Sophia Grace Stine and Alexander Thomas Johannesen Stine, two younger sisters Luecy Duarte Pereira and Eni Duarte Kahack, one younger brother, Adalberto Motta Duarte, and numerous wonderful nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, a great-great niece and a great-great nephew in the United States and Brazil.

A private graveside service will be held. A link to view the service will be uploaded at a later date.