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Grace Mary Letcher

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Birth	:	20 Jul 1908 Naperville, DuPage County, Illinois, USA
Death	:	12 Feb 1959 Niles, Berrien County, Michigan, USA
Burial	:	Beulah United Methodist Church Cemetery, Blythewood, Richland County, USA
Coordinate	:	34.2075005, -81.0643997
Plot	:	Section D, lot 194.
Description	:	Grace is the daughter of Joseph George Letcher and his wife Ida May Ketchum, of Naperville, DuPage Co. Illinois, and later, of Buchanan, Berrien County Michigan. She was the eldest of five children. ------------------------------- Note: PLEASE, do NOT transfer this memorial to other web sites. Thanks, Nancy (Letcher) Heib. ------------------------------- She was baptized as Mary Grace Agnes Letcher, on Aug. 1, 1908 at the Sts. Peter and Paul (Catholic) Church in Naperville, Illinois. The sponsors (Godparents) at her baptism were Alois Letcher (Joseph's brother), and Mary Cecilia Letcher (Joseph's sister). ------------------------------- Note: The church records also show that Grace was born on July 20, 1908, (NOT on July 30, 1908, as is printed in her... Read More	Grace is the daughter of Joseph George Letcher and his wife Ida May Ketchum, of Naperville, DuPage Co. Illinois, and later, of Buchanan, Berrien County Michigan. She was the eldest of five children. ------------------------------- Note: PLEASE, do NOT transfer this memorial to other web sites. Thanks, Nancy (Letcher) Heib. ------------------------------- She was baptized as Mary Grace Agnes Letcher, on Aug. 1, 1908 at the Sts. Peter and Paul (Catholic) Church in Naperville, Illinois. The sponsors (Godparents) at her baptism were Alois Letcher (Joseph's brother), and Mary Cecilia Letcher (Joseph's sister). ------------------------------- Note: The church records also show that Grace was born on July 20, 1908, (NOT on July 30, 1908, as is printed in her obituary, and on her death certificate). ------------------------------- Grace graduated from Buchanan High School in Buchanan, Michigan. She was the Valedictorian of her graduating Class of 1926. (Nice picture of her in the yearbook). ------------------------------- Grace attended Western Michigan College, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. ---- Grace received her teaching certificate (a "life" certificate), from "Western Michigan College of Education" in Kalamazoo, Michigan (per: List of School Officiers and Teachers in Berrien County Schools 1944-1945). --------------------------------- Grace played the organ for church services at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Buchanan, Michigan of which she and her family were members. ------------------------------- For many years, Grace was a school teacher in Buchanan area schools in Berrien County Michigan. ------------------------------ An article written by Grace Letcher, (titled "Romancy Skits"), was published in the "Berrien County Record" newspaper, in Buchanan, Michigan, on Thursday, May 14, 1931, page 8. (This article is about her views of politics in Berrien County). ------------------------------- In 1953, at the age of 45, Grace became a Catholic Nun and received the name of "Sister Mary Joseph". ------------------------------- Grace wanted to stay a Catholic Nun, but she was released from the Monastery because of poor health (per her family). ------------------------------- The following article was published in "The News-Palladium" newspaper, in Benton Harbor, Michigan, on Dec. 21, 1953: ---------------- Miss Grace Letcher, Formerly of Buchanan, Takes Habit of Nun. Buchanan, Dec. 21 - In an impressive ceremony held Thursday, Dec. 10, [1953], at the Sacramentine Monastery of Perpetual Adoration and of Our Lady, Miss Grace Letcher, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Letcher, Sr., Buchanan, received the habit of the Sacramentine Sisters of Petoskey, Mich. She received the name of Sister Mary Joseph and became a cloistered choir nun. The Rev. Fr. William A. Cogley of Morrice, Mich., was the celebrant of the mass. Rev. Fr. Hugollnus Kiener, G. F. M. of Petoskey preached the sermon. Rev. Clement Sigmund, the bishop's delegate, presided at the ceremony. Before entering religon, Miss Letcher taught in the public schools in Berrien county. She attended Western Michigan college, Kalamazoo. The principal work of the Sacramentine order is perpetual adoration of the blessed Sacrament and the giving of women's retreats. Also taking the veil at this ceremony was Miss Mary Alice Wellington, Mackinac, Mich., who became Sister Anne Marie, an extern sister. Attending the ceremony from Buchanan were Miss Letcher's mother, Mrs. Joseph [Ida May] Letcher Sr., Mrs. Alois [Alice] Letcher, Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. [and Doris] Letcher and [Harvey's daughter] Miss Janet Letcher, they were accompanied by [Grace's sister] Mrs. John [Lillian] Vaselin and daughter [Anita], Gary, Ind., and Mrs. Leo McCarten, Lakeside, Mich. ------------------------------- After Grace was released from the Monastery, Grace later suffered a stroke while teaching in a Catholic parochial school in Cadillac, Michigan. She was transferred from the Mercy Hospital, in Cadillac, MI, to the Pawating Hospital, in Niles, Berrien County Michigan, near her home, where she died (unmarried), at the age of 50. -------------------------------- The obituary for Grace M. Letcher was published in the "Niles Daily Star" newspaper in Niles, MI. on Feb. 13, 1959, page 2: ---------------- MISS GRACE M. LETCHER. Buchanan - Miss Grace M. Letcher, 50, of Buchanan, [MI], who has been teaching school at Cadillac, [MI] since last September, died at 11:45 p.m. Thursday in Pawating Hospital where she had been transferred from Mercy Hospital, Cadillac [MI]. She was admitted Monday evening to the Cadillic hospital after suffering a stroke. Miss Letcher, who for many years taught in Berrien County schools, was born July 30 [should say July "20"], 1908, in Naperville, Ill., and came to Buchanan, [MI] with her parents when she was a child [in 1912]. She was a member of St. Anthony Roman Catholic Church here. Surviving are: her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph G. Letcher, Sr., of Main Street Road, Buchanan [MI]: three brothers, Harvey J. and Robert E. Letcher, both of Buchanan, [MI] and Joseph G. Letcher, Jr., of South Bend, [IN], and a sister, Mrs. Lillian Vasilin [Vaselin], of South Bend, [IN]. Funeral services will be held at 9 a.m. Monday [Feb. 16] in St. Anthony Church with the pastor, the Rev. Frank Jansen, officiating. Burial will be in Oak Ridge Cemetery. The Rosary will be said at 8:30 p.m. Sunday in the Swem Funeral Home where friends may call after 7 p.m. today. ------------------------------- Grace is buried next to her parents, in Section D, Lot 194. ------------------------------- Click on photos to see enlargements, captions, and additional photos. -------------------------------

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Grace Mary Letcher's memorial?
Grace Mary Letcher's memorial is located at: Beulah United Methodist Church Cemetery, Blythewood, Richland County, USA.
When did Grace Mary Letcher death?
Grace Mary Letcher death on 12 Feb 1959 in Niles, Berrien County, Michigan, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Grace Mary Letcher's memorial?
Latitude: 34.2075005
Longitude: -81.0643997

Family Members:

Parent

Joseph George Letcher

(1883 - 1959)

Ida May Ketchum Letcher

(1886 - 1971)

Siblings

Harvey James Letcher

(1910 - 1993)

Lillian May Letcher Vaselin

(1926 - 2007)

Robert Edwin Letcher

(1928 - 2006)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

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Coordinate: 34.2075005, -81.0643997

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13. Cedar Creek AME Church Cemetery
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14. New Buffalo Cemetery
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15. Taylor Chapel Church Cemetery
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16. Trinity United Methodist Church
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Coordinate: 34.2143750, -80.9896770

17. Mount Pleasant UMC Cemetery
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18. Broom Family Cemetery
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19. Sandy Level Baptist Church Cemetery
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21. Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery
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22. Saint Marks Lutheran Church Cemetery
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23. Zion Pilgrim Baptist Church Cemetery #2
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24. Raines Family Cemetery
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