Grace Edith Thurston (Cheney), 81, of Claremont, NH, died peacefully in her home on January 10, 2022 after a long, and courageous battle with cancer. Grace was born in Newport, NH, on March 12, 1940 to Angie May Finch and Vernard Matthews.

Grace worked for Sylvania in Hillsboro, NH, for a length of time, but her true passion was realized later in life when she worked in various caretaking roles in home health care. Grace genuinely loved working as a Certified Nursing Assistant and home companion, assisting elderly individuals and adults with disabilities care for themselves in their home.

She was truly a caretaker at heart, in her career and in her everyday life.

Grace was a strong, loving, and selfless person who poured her heart and soul into loving other people. She never met someone she wasn't willing to help in any way that she could. Grace was an unconventional woman with a vibrant personality and a contagious smile. You could often find this grandma rocking out to music while cruising around on her riding lawn mower, just for fun. Grace also enjoyed crocheting and spent many patient hours sharing her love of this craft, teaching several of her granddaughters.

Grace was a true matriarch for her family, biological and chosen. Grace was a dedicated mother to 4 of her own children, to a stepson whom she loved as her own, as well as, to the many others who knew her as Mom, Gram, or GG. She is survived by her partner Ernie Leonard; her sister Earla Jennison; her 4 sons William Cheney, Timothy Cheney Sr, Charles Cheney Sr, and Bruce Thurston Sr; her daughter Susan Cheney; her grandchildren Sonia Meyette, Laura Cheney, Jeremy Kimberly, Misty Sun, Ellie Aldrich, Angie Cheney, Timothy Cheney Jr, Charles Cheney Jr, Grace Cheney, Dallas Cheney, Christine Adair, Jeffery Colby, Shayla Gratacos, Sean Nichols, Felisha Nichols, and Louis Gratacos Jr; her dedicated and loving caretaker Katie Boyle; as well as several great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, friends, and other loved ones.

She is predeceased by her parents Angelena Finch, Vernard Matthews; 2 ex husbands whom she remained close friends with, Charles Cheney Sr and Arnold Thurston; her brother Leon Russell Sr; her beloved sister Shirley Ripley and Shirley's husband Leo Ripley; her grandchildren Tracia Colby and Daniel Thurston Sr.

Visiting hours will be held at Stringer Funeral Home, 146 Broad Street in Claremont on Saturday, January 29 ^th from 1 to 2PM. A memorial service will follow at 2 PM.