MRS. BESSIE  M.  GRATTON, 75 of Pittsfield, died suddenly Friday afternoon (8/21/09) in the emergency room at Illini Community Hospital in Pittsfield.

Born July 24, 1934 near Rockport, IL, she was a daughter of Samuel and Edith Smith McDonald. She married Charles E. Gratton Oct. 31,1953 by Rev. Homer Brown in Pittsfield and he survives.

Bessie was a member of the Church of the Nazarene in Pittsfield.

She loved babysitting her grandchildren, going on road trips with her husband, collecting angels and bears, shopping, camping, flower gardening, doing the Pike County Fall Color Tour, attending church and being with her family, Bessie had the heart of a servant and she truly defined love and loved everyone she touched.

Survivors include her husband Charles Gratton of Pittsfield, 2 sons, Charles (w-Linda) Gratton of Pittsfield, and Richard (w- Angela) Gratton of Baylis, IL., 3 daughters, Mrs. Patty (Tom) Cawthon, Mrs. Donna (Bobby) Lipcamon and Mrs. Cindy (Rod) Prentice all of Pittsfield, IL., a brother Norman (w-Ann) McDonald of Pittsfield, a sister Mrs. Freda White of Pleasant Hill, IL., 16 grandchildren and 16 great grand children.

She was preceded in death by a brother Sam McDonald and 3sisters, Leveta Buchanan, Myrtle Smith and Betty Lowe.

Funeral services will be Tuesday at 10:30 at the Church of the Nazarene in Pittsfield with Rev. Ron Baker officiating. Burial will be at Pittsfield West Cemetery.

Friends may call Monday from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Niebur Funeral Home in Pittsfield.

Family suggests that memorials be made to her grandchildren’s educational fund or the Church of the Nazarene.