Mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother, died September 1, 2015. She was 105 years old. Gretchen Dunham was born May 17, 1910, in Elberfeld, Germany, and is the last surviving child of the five children born to Karl Gottlieb and Johanne Theel Butchereit. She was schooled in Germany and won prizes for her scholarship. She married Samuel Dunham on September 29, 1927 in the Salt lake Temple, and raised two sons, Louis S. and Theo K.
She was, at one time, a member of the Elysian Chorus. She was employed at the Division Office of Safeway Stores Inc. for thirty three years, and retired from Safeway as Payroll Director for the Salt Lake Divisions' 5 Western states.
Gretchen and her husband loved the outdoors, camping and rock hunting with their friends and family. They were members of the CineArts Club, the Wasatch Gem Society, the Mineralogical Society of Utah, the Golden Spike Gem and Mineral Society and the Rock Artisans of Utah. Grete continued to gather gemstones and make jewelry into her 90's. She voluntarily gave up her driver's license at age 97.
She is survived by 2 children, Louis S. (Marjorie), and Theo K. (Beth); 10 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren and 13 great-great-grandchildren.
Gretchen has been a resident of Salt Lake City for the last ninety years. A funeral service will be held Friday, September 4, 2015 at Larkin Mortuary, 260 E. South Temple, Salt Lake City, at 11:00 AM. Friends and family may visit Thursday evening from 6-8 PM and one hour prior to services Friday at Larkin Mortuary.
