John William GRAVES

GRAVES, IVERSEN, KYLE, CONNELLY, HATCH, GATHMAN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 7/21/2007 at 17:04:27

John William Graves was born on August 31, 1960 in Belmond, Iowa, the son of Max and Jean Graves, passed away July 7, 2007. He spent his youth in Northwest Iowa attending elementary school in Sibley and Ocheyedan. In 1972 he moved to Mesa, AZ with his family. He attended Kino Jr. High where he discovered basketball. He perfected that skill at Mesa Mountain View. He was nicknamed the "Incredible Hulk" by the Mesa Tribune, referring to his thighs as the size of telephone poles. He graduated in 1979, receiving a political science degree from Arizona State University. He was employed by AZ Block, Superlite Block and was the owner of Villa Pavers. He loved to entertain his children with stories from his childhood. He was a loving and devoted husband and father. Left to cherish his memory are his wife Catherine Graves, his children Erinn Graves, Clinton Graves, Riley Graves, Dante Graves, Alex Iversen and Caroline Iversen; his parents Max and Jean Graves, Phoenix, AZ; his grandmother Myrle Graves, Coralville, IA; 4 sisters and their husbands Crystal and Kevin Kyle, Bend, OR, Rebecca and J. R. Connelly, Show Low, AZ, Barbara and Robert Hatch, Phoenix, AZ and Cynthis Graves, Albuquerque, NM; numerous nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, co-workers and friends. He was preceded in death by his grandfather John A. Graves, Melvin, IA, his grandfather and grandmother William and Alice Gathman, Hartley, IA. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, July 12, 2007 at 10:00 am at All Saints Episcopal Church, 6300 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ. Donations in remembrance may be sent to The Sherman Hospice Home, 580l East Mayo Blvd., Phoenix, AZ.

Arizona Republic, The (Phoenix, AZ)
July 11, 2007