Dr. Grace Morth Fraser, who lived a full life as a researcher, teacher, sibling, and spouse, died April 10, 2023, at her home in Wentworth, New Hampshire. She was 76.

A celebration of her life is planned at Chimney Chase, in New Hampshire, at a later date.

Grace, an adventurer from the beginning, was born on March 13, 1947, in a North Dakota blizzard as her father, L.J. (Spitz) Morth, and mother, Leota, raced to the hospital in Fargo, North Dakota, 55 miles away from home. The trip was interrupted two times. He stopped by the side of the road and tried to flag down other motorists because Leota began labor. When no one stopped, L.J. expertly delivered his daughter, though he had never done such a thing before. Then, one mile farther in the wind and snow, the car blew a tire. L.J. fixed the flat, checked his passengers and resumed driving. Since he had handled the trip so far, L.J and his wife and baby walked into the emergency room at St. John’s Hospital rather than wait to be wheeled in by hospital staff. 

Grace attended grade and high school in Fingal, North Dakota, graduating in 1965. She attended the University of North Dakota briefly before transferring to the University of Utah.

She was awarded a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology from the University of Massachusetts in 1979, a Master’s degree in archeology from the same institution in 1971 and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah in anthropology in 1969.

On September 3, 1977, she married Thomas Mott Fraser in Dorchester, New Hampshire.

Dr. Fraser joined the teaching staff at Plymouth State College in 1986 as adjunct faculty in the Department of Social Science. She served as assistant professor in the same department before she was named associate professor in 1994, and served as department chair a number of years until she retired. Drs. Thomas and Grace Fraser were both very involved within their community, especially with the Dorchester Community Church.

Dr. Fraser’s research work took her to the Caribbean Island of St. Vincent where she studied the impact of volcanic eruptions there. In other locations in the West Indies she researched the impact of tourism.  In western North Dakota’s, she studied the decline of agriculture before shifting her focus to indigenous foods and people. Her work also took her to Jordan and Egypt as well as Thailand and Papua, New Guinea. In the United States her research included archeological sites in Indiana, Ohio and Illinois and in New England. During the end of her teaching career, Dr. Fraser studied food tourism in Umbria, Tuscany.

The food research allowed Dr. Fraser productive time in her kitchen as well as time to compile articles on American and Italian cuisine.

Survivors include her sister, Mary Jean Burkhart, Dazey, North Dakota; nephew Matthew Burkhart (Jon Moore), Jericho, Vermont; niece Sarah (Dustin) Sellon, Ely, Iowa; great-nieces and nephew Kaitlyn, Audrey and Aidan Sellon; stepchildren Cynthia (John) Gallagher, Jamaica Plain, Mass., and their children Catherine (Jameson) Fauver and two grandchildren Annabelle and Violet, John Gallagher and Ben (Kate) Gallagher; Eve (Kevin) Fraser-Corp, Siasconset, Mass., and their children Ian and Holly.

Grace (Morth) Fraser was preceded in death by her parents and husband, brother-in-law Stephen J. Burkhart; stepson John and stepdaughter Daphne.

A permanent memorial page will be set up at Mayhew Funeral Homes & Crematorium website at www.mayhewfuneralhomes.com.  The Lerud Mathias Funeral Home in Valley City, ND is assisting Grace’s family locally.  Her obituary and guestbook is also available at www.lerudmathias.com

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