Grayce E. Chatham was born in Defiance, Ohio on June 17, 1919 to Chauncey and Eunice (Allison) Rittenhouse.  She graduated from Tiffin Twp High School and then International Business College in Ft. Wayne.  She  then took an accounting position in Washington, DC during World War II.  She enjoyed her work a lot.  On weekends she went sight-seeing with some of her many new friends.

She met and married her Army Sergeant, Charlie C. Chatham on December 17, 1942.   After his tour of duty in the Phillipines, they came back to Defiance to start their family.  She worked at Defiance  Hospital as night office clerk.  Later she did work at Dinner Bell Foods, retiring in 1976

Grayce was devoted to her family, her farm life, her flowers and humming birds.  She trusted her faith in God to help through glad times and sad times thoughout her entire lfie of 94 years.

She was a member of Defiance Christian Church.

She is survived by two daughters:  Juanita (James) Small of Coldwater, Ohio and Judy (William) Abell of Milton, Florida and son Dwight (Connie) Chatham of Defiance.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her four brothers, LeRoy, Emmett, Orrin and Howard Rittenhouse, her husband, Charlie and son Charles.

Also surviving are her grandchildren:  Tim (Jenni) Lang of Defiance, Sherry (Jay) Summers of Delaware, OH, Victoria and Lori Sanderson of the State of Florida, Michelle (Jeff) Curenton of Cuyahoga Falls, OH, Mark (Chrissy) Chatham of Defiance, Dexter and Alex Chatham of Defiance, great-grandchildren, Kylie, Emma, Charles, Emily and Ian.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 6, 2014, at Schaffer Funeral  Home, Defiance, with Pastor Jim Dotson officiating.  Interment will follow at Evansport Cemetery.  Visitation will be held from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Thursday prior to the service.

The family suggest memorials be given to CHP Defiance Area In-Patient Hospice Center "Charlie's Pie" or to Defiance Christian Church.