Grace Viola (Thoreson) MEDDAUGH

MEDDAUGH, THORESON, WILSON, PLATT, STANGL-MEDDAUGH, STANGL, LACEY, KELLER, CAHILL, ROGGE

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:06:41

January 28, 1926 --- December 4, 2017

Grace Viola Meddaugh was born January 28, 1926, in Farnhamville, IA to the late Jesse Edgar Thoreson and Viola Nancy Wilson, and passed away in Gilbert, AZ on December 4, 2017, a month shy of her 92nd birthday. Grace lived her early life in Burt, IA and Goodell, IA helping with the family grocery store until WWII broke out and her father became a government employee, resulting in the family moving to Chanute Field in Rantoul, IL. Getting a certification in cosmetology, Grace moved to Columbus, OH where she was employed as a hair dresser. In 1946 she met and married A. Frederick Meddaugh, Jr. in Covington, KY. Their first son Bobby was born in OH and after moving to Gary, IN, Billy was born. They then moved to CT where Fred had been raised and completed their family with the arrival of their daughter Nancy. Grace was active in their Bridgewater community working as an Assistant Librarian and as Town Clerk of Bridgewater for over 30 years before retiring in 1995 and moving to Sunland Village in Mesa, AZ, where she resided until four months ago. At that time she moved into American Orchards in Gilbert, AZ where she made more friends and continued to play cards weekly with her Sunland friends up until four days before she passed. Grace was also a long-standing member of the Bridgewater Congregational Church where for years she loved being a part of the "Future Grandmother's" club. She was an avid sports fan, never missing one of Billy's high school basketball games or his touch football games in later years, and rooting, often very loudly, for the Yankees and Giants. Her talent for knitting, crocheting, card making and sewing was remarkable and her finished results are in many homes of friends and family.

Grace and Fred were divorced in 1972 and he predeceased her, as did her longtime companion Richard M. Platt and her grandson Riley Stangl-Meddaugh. Grace is survived by her children, Robert (Kathy) of Des Moines, IA, William (Anne) of Keene, NH and Nancy (Russ) of St. Michaels, MD; her sister Alice Mae Lacey of Mesa, AZ; grandchildren, Kelly Stangl-Meddaugh (Aaron Keller), Jesse (Sara) Meddaugh, Lindsay Cahill (Sean), Colyn Stangl-Meddaugh, Matthew Rogge, Michael Rogge (Heidi) and Christopher Rogge (Caroline) and 11 great-grandchildren; three nephews and two nieces who loved their Aunt Grace. Grace had wonderful, close friends in Bridgewater that she traveled back to see until she decided the travel needed to stop a few years ago. Her friends in Mesa are also wonderful and close, keeping an eye on her for her family. Grace was a strong, kind, clever, talented woman who leaves behind many friends and family to mourn her.

A small celebration of life was held December 7, 2017 in Arizona and her burial in Ellsworth, IA will be private at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Sunshine Acres, 3405 N. Higley Road, Mesa, AZ or Bridgewater Fire Department, Bridgewater, CT.

News-Times --- Danbury, CT
December 17, 2017