Edith Antonacci Chatfield, 99, of Charleston, died on April 9, 2024 at Stonerise Charleston Nursing Home.

Edith was born in McDowell County on September 28, 1924 to Nick and Lucille Antonacci and was the second oldest of four children—Louis, Edith, Loraine and George.  She lived, raised her family and worked for most of her life in Welch and then on Wolf Creek farm in Camp Creek. Her intelligence, curiosity, love of reading and learning and deep faith in God shaped the way she lived.

Edith met her future husband, E. Lawrence Chatfield when they were very young children. They attended school together, both graduating from Welch High School, and they married in July 1944 during World War II while Lawrence was serving in the U.S. Army Air Corps. Together they reared three children.

Throughout her life Edith wore many hats, worked many jobs, volunteered for many causes, and developed a variety of skills. Her first and abiding love was her family and she believed in teaching her children to love learning as much as she did. She was a lifelong gardener, an exceptional cook, craftswoman and homemaker at a time when those abilities made the difference between "making do or doing without."

When her youngest child went to school, she began to work outside the home first as a secretary at and then as Director of Christian Education for the First Presbyterian Church in Welch. After her youngest child left home for college, she went back to school herself to train as a nurse. On graduating Edith took work at Stevens Clinic Hospital in Welch as Director of Patient Education. She worked there until the mid-1980s.

On her husband's retirement from U.S. Steel, Edith and Lawrence moved from Welch to Camp Creek in Mercer County. When Lawrence passed away in 1993, Edith continued on the farm, gardening with great joy in her beloved Appalachians until she moved to Charleston in 2008.

Edith Chatfield lived a long life of service and caring to everyone around her. Always busy, never standing still, she loved to hold court on matters important to her, advising one and all on her ideas, opinions and beliefs. She was greatly loved and she will be sorely missed.

Edith is survived by one sibling: Loraine Antonacci of Maitland; and by her three children, R. Lawrence (Larry) Chatfield (Connie) of Evergreen, CO; her daughter, Emily Chatfield-Lusto (Bill) of Waynesville, NC; and her son J. Mark Chatfield. She is also survived by grandchildren Melissa Chatfield (Jim Young); Paige Chatfield; and Cass Chatfield (David Stienmier); and by great-grandchildren Aaron Knight, Kay Sol Knight, and Lucy Kate Stienmier.

Edith will be buried at Roselawn Cemetery in Princeton. No memorial service will be held at this time. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made in her name to the McDowell County Library, Children's Section, 90 Howard Street, Welch, WV 24801. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.roselawnmontevista.com