This week we lost a local celebrity. Grace Marie (Faulkner) Whitten, a resident of Harbor Crest Nursing Home, Fulton, IL, passed away on September 24, 2018, surrounded by family, at the age of 81 years. Grace’s 40 year career was spent as a journalist and columnist in local area newspapers. She began her career as a reporter and staff writer for the Fulton Journal. She was the editor and columnist for “The World according to Grace” (Clinton Herald), “With Grace” (Quad-City Times), and “Dash of Grace” and radio personality (Sauk Valley Media.)
Grace was an avid patron and seamstress for local community theater. She was a member of the Morrison Methodist Church Bell Choir and performed with the Clinton area Felix Adler Clown community. Over the years, she was involved in several organizations supporting women in business and entrepreneurship. She was also a celebrity chef for several years with the “Ladies Night Out” event. Her hobbies included writing, reading, camping, sewing, cooking, and consuming ice cream!
Grace was well known to the public for her journalism, but she was known to family and friends for her strength, love, and compassion. She was the proud mother of Roni (Daniel) Mitchell, Penny (Gary) Venhuizen, Robert (Christine) Whitten, Cindy (Pete) Petersen, and Glen (Tammie) Whitten. One of her proudest accomplishments was her 23 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, and 12 great-great-grandchildren, with one more great-grandchild on the way.
She is grieved by her sisters, Elaine Grigg and Quela Cummins, and her brother, Tony Faulkner; numerous nieces and nephews; along with many special friends.
Grace was greeted in heaven by her mother, Maggie Marie (Gates) Yancy; her father Vaughn Johnson Faulkner; her grandson, Clifford Vaughn May; her brother, Virgil Vaughn “Butch” Faulkner; her daughter, Kathy Jewel Utley; her son, Charles Spencer Whitten.
Her family would like to invite everyone to join them in a Memorial Service and Celebration of Life at River Church in Clinton, IA, on Friday, September 28, 2018. The Memorial Service will be from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., with the Celebration of Life and visitation with friends and family to follow the service.
The Fulton Chapel of the Bosma-Renkes Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Donations will be contributed to a memorial scholarship fund in her name to support the fine arts field of education.