Gretchen H. Link

GRETCHEN H. LINK Staunton, VA… Gretchen Louticha (Hitt) Link, 98, widow of Raymond Walter Link, died Friday, June 22, 2018 in Staunton. Mrs. Link was born on April 25, 1920 in Mint Spring, VA to the late John Ofarrel Hitt and Jenetta Gretchen (Helmick) Hitt.  The family moved to Upland, California when she was three years old and lived there until 1938 when they moved back to Staunton, VA.  She attended R.E. Lee High School and graduated in 1939.  She married Raymond Walter Link in June of 1939.  The following year on July 10th, they had a daughter, Patricia Anne Link.  She was their only child.  Gretchen was active in the Blue Triangle Club and Sarah Seaton Garden Club.  She was very artistic and drew and painted all her life. Over the years she took numerous art classes; some at Mary Baldwin, Blue Ridge Community College and several private classes.  She also made most of her and her daughter’s clothes.  She loved gardening and everyone loved to look at her flower garden.  She was a wonderful cook and loved to entertain her family and friends.  She was very outgoing and when her daughter brought her friends home, they enjoyed being around her. Raymond and Gretchen were married for 59 years. They enjoyed traveling and made numerous trips to Europe, Canada and all over the United States.  Raymond died in June 1998 and she entered Brightview in 2011 and remained there until her death. She is survived by her daughter, Patricia Anne (Link) Hunter and her husband, Dr. William S. Hunter; her grandchildren, Anne Hunter Nunley, and husband, David Patrick Nunley and William Lee Hunter and wife, Leslie Hoy Hunter; great-grandchildren, Jonathan Hunter Shover and wife, Samantha Godwin Shover; Emily Anne Bennett; Lela Jane Hunter and Olivia Anne Hunter; three step-grandchildren, Benjamin, Charlotte and Henry Nunley. A graveside service will be conducted by Rev. Chuck Cole at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, June 26, 2018 at Thornrose Cemetery.