Born November 5, 1926 in Pekin to Herman Louis and Anna Christina (Bleichner) Stauthammer, she married Harry Bay Durham on August 1, 1946 in Pekin. He died February 23, 2006. She was also preceded in death by her parents; one daughter, Sandra Kay Cannon; three brothers, John, Louis and William Stauthammer; two sisters, Mae Bouchez and Mary Jane Behrends and one grandson, Samuel Durham.
Surviving are three sons, Terry (Christine) Durham of New Haven, Connecticut, Michael (Connie) Durham of Bartonville and Scott Durham of Colorado Springs, Colorado; nine grandchildren, Chris Durham, Dr. David Durham, Carrie (Dan) Davis, Craig (Becky) Durham, Anna Monroe, Audrey Durham, Jamie (Jason) Evans, Jennifer (Brent) Parker and Kasey (Eric) Ford; and thirteen great-grandchildren.
Grace grew up on the family farm during the Great Depression. She graduated from Pekin Community High School in 1944. During World War II, Grace served in the Nurse Corps. After the war, she worked as a telephone operator for the Middle States Phone Company. She then stayed home to care for her children. When all her children were in school, Grace obtained her driver’s license and for nine years was a school bus driver for the disadvantaged students. For 40 years, Grace served as a local election judge from primary and general Illinois elections.
Grace was also known for her own gardening, canning, cooking and even mowing her own lawn up through last fall at the age of 97.
Until it closed in 2019, The Second Reformed Church in Pekin was Grace’s home church for decades. She taught the Women’s Sunday Bible study and was involved in numerous church activities including their church’s newsletter to fundraisers and the especially popular cookie sale. Then in 2023, she started attending Trinity Presbyterian Church in Bartonville.
Her funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, March 21, 2025 at Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory in Pekin. Visitation will be one hour before the funeral. Reverend Stephen Barch and Reverend Linda Philabaun will officiate. Burial will be in Glendale Memorial Gardens in Pekin.
Memorial contributions may be made in the name of Grace Durham to Trinity Presbyterian Church of Bartonville (4400 S. Airport Road, Bartonville, IL 61607).
To express condolences online, visit www.preston-hanley.com.
