Grace Gemmell Scanlan, formerly of Fair Haven, died Oct. 22, 2021, in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, at age 90. Born April 16, 1931, in Indiana, Pennsylvania, she was the daughter of the late Wilbur and Carrie Roberts Gemmell. Grace graduated from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in home economics. She was department chair of home economics at Carlisle Area High School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
After her marriage, Grace became a full-time homemaker and was a discussion leader of Bible Study Fellowship International. For over 40 years, she was a parishioner of St. George’s-by-the-River Episcopal Church in Rumson where she was a Sunday school teacher and member of the Altar Guild.
In addition to her parents, Grace was predeceased by her beloved husband of 55 years, William W. Scanlan Sr.; her beloved son William W. Scanlan Jr.; and her brother John W. Gemmell. She is survived by her daughters, Susan Grace Dittman (John) of Lincoln, Nebraska; Barbara Scanlan Stevenson (James) of Chagrin Falls, Ohio; son Thomas Paul Scanlan of Jackson Hole, Wyoming; her eight grandchildren, Spencer Stevenson (Megan), Kirsten Rezac (Michael), Derek and Trevor Stevenson and Mark, Allison, Grant and Gregory Dittman; and her sister Dorothy Gemmell Thomas of Okemos, Michigan.
Funeral services will be private. In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing in her memory to the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation at 57 West 57th St., Suite 904, New York, NY 10019 or alzdiscovery.org/donate.
Please sign Grace’s tribute wall at murphyfamilyfuneralhome.com.
The article originally appeared in the October 28 – November 3, 2021 print edition of The Two River Times.
