Aletha Lucille Chaffee, age 102, passed away on August 19, 2021, in St. Louis, Michigan. A lifelong Weidman resident, Aletha was born at home on Jordan Road in Sherman Township on December 15, 1918, to the late George Theron and Effie Lee (Pennington) Merrihew. After graduating from Weidman High School in 1937, she worked the switchboards for Union Telephone Company. Following a long engagement, Aletha married Clarence Chaffee on August 10, 1940. The pair raised five children together and opened Chaffee Farm Service in 1954. Aletha spent many summers working alongside her children at Chippewa Ranch, where city kids could ride horses, swim, and camp. A diligent worker who suffered no fools, Aletha was never afraid to get her hands dirty. You may recognize her from Chaffee Farm Service, where she continued to work even after she hit the century mark; you may know her as the Gravy Lady, since she spent many Wheatland Festivals smothering pasties in gravy for the Weidman Lions; or you may have just seen her out checking the fence at the family farm sometime in the last seventy years. She loved staying busy, traveling, and being surrounded by her family, especially during the holidays – she was a woman who took Christmas VERY seriously.

Aletha is survived by her children, Pat (Allan) Marshall of Farwell, Fern (Larry) Baker of Tustin, Anna (Gary) Boyd of Sterling, Alaska, Dean (Jane) Chaffee of Weidman, and Nancy (Duane) Paulsen of Weidman; grandchildren Deana (Mark) Wheeler, Darrin Marshall, Chris (Stephanie) Baker, Lori (Dave) Williamson, Doug (Laurie) Boyd, Mike (Alice) Boyd, Chuck (Denise) Chaffee, Jennifer (Todd) Lanning, Lisa Chaffee, Kevin (Sarah) Chaffee, Marty (Leigh Anne) Howard, Scot (Jeanna) Paulsen and Chad (DeAnn) Paulsen; numerous great-grandchildren; several great-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Aletha was preceded in death by almost everyone else, namely: her parents; her beloved husband Clarence; siblings Keith, Reva, Theron, Zilpha, Dale, Gale, Audrey, and Roland; and grandchildren Craig Howard and Josh Wheeler.

A Memorial Service for Aletha will be held at Clark Family Funeral Chapel on Sunday, August 29, 2021, at 11 a.m. with Patti Hicks officiating. A luncheon will follow the service in Reflections Reception Center. The family will receive friends at the funeral chapel on Saturday, August 28 from 4-8 p.m. and on Sunday from 10 a.m. until the time of the service. Memorial contributions may be made to the family. Envelopes will be available at the funeral chapel.