Grace Marie Chappell was born July 25th, 1934 at her family's home near Moorewood, Oklahoma to Theo Alvera (Coen) and Jesse Merrill Whitson. She passed peacefully, Saturday, September 14th, 2024 at Ascension St. John hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma while living with her granddaughter, Jodi Jones of Sapulpa.

Grace grew up in Moorewood, Oklahoma area and attended school at Hammon, Oklahoma. She was a member of the graduating class of Hammon High School in 1952. After high school, Grace worked at the Roger Mills courthouse for the county sheriff and was a soda jerk at the local pharmacy during her lunch break to pay for her lunch. While working and living in Cheyenne, she met Donnie Chappell and they were married July 8, 1953. Grace and Donnie lived near Durham the rest of their years, raising 3 daughters, Cherie, Gina, and Kim and a daughter Norma Jo who passed at birth. Grace pulled and chopped miles of cotton in her life. Fall was always her favorite time of years, because of the smell of the earth as they sowed the wheat. She prepared meals that she hauled out to the field for her husband and field hands.

Grace drove her own restored covered wagon pulled by her mules, Kate and Molly, for the Reydon Ranger's Riding Club in area wagon trains and parades including the Miss America parade in Laverne, Oklahoma honoring Miss Jane Jayroe. She also served as the secretary and treasurer for the Reydon Ranger's as well. Other than the work involved on the farm/ranch and after their girls left home, Donnie and Grace filmed and sold cattle for Superior Livestock. She enjoyed her time working in the dress shop in Cheyenne for Sue Trout and then helping at T&O Oilfield in Reydon.

Grace's life spanned periods of time having outhouses, no running water nor electricity to staying up to date with electronics and social media. She was so giving and compassionate. When the weather was bitter cold, she would place fresh baked bread or banana nut bread with a steaming cup of coffee in the mailbox when she saw the postman top the hill. Some of her most favorite times throughout her life were spent with her husband on the dance floor and especially while performing the waltz. Together, more recent, they both enjoyed spending time with and caring for their miniature schnauzer, "Jake".

She is preceded in death by her parents; husband of nearly 70 years, Donald Lee "Chap" Chappell; daughter, Norma Jo; grandson, Victor Redden; 3 siblings, Lloyd, Jesse, and Addie Whitson.

Grace is survived by 3 daughters, Cherie Maddox, Elk City, OK, Gina Swartwood and husband, Bob, Tulsa, OK, and Kim Chappell, Elk City, OK; 8 grandchildren, DL Redden and wife, Alicia, Manasseh Redden and wife, Jolie, James Redden and wife, Hope, Amy Shirley and husband, Ben, Megan Coogle and husband Nathan, Kara Oldenberg and partner, Josh Lankford, Jodi Jones and husband, Travis and Laci Lane; 19 great grandchildren; 1 brother, Bill Whitson, Sacramento, CA and a host of other relatives and friends.

Memorial donations can be made to Fairview Cemetery, c/o Jennifer York, Durham, OK 73642