Grace Doris Graves

Grace Doris Graves passed away on May 4, 2014 three days shy of her 96th birthday.

She was born to Abel Cary and May Adele Quaintance on a cattle ranch near Boulder, Mont. She considered herself a “cowgirl” and rode horseback to a one-room schoolhouse for her first eight grades. She attended Jefferson County High School in Boulder where she was active in sports and drama. She graduated from the University of Montana in 1939, where she was a member of the Mortar Board, president of the local chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, and met her future husband, Dayl Burgess Graves. They were married Aug. 31, 1940. The newlyweds lived in Seattle for two years. In 1942, Dayl was commissioned as a naval officer and she accompanied him on assignments in San Francisco, Miami Beach, Columbus, Ohio, and a final 18 months in Washington, D.C. In 1945, they moved back to Seattle, and in 1950, they settled in Walla Walla.

A homemaker, Doris devoted herself to her children’s activities and to community volunteer work. For many years she was an active member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. She was president of Walla Walla Junior League, and was one of the organizers bringing Kappa Alpha Theta to Whitman College. She was a member of P.E.O. Chapter CI, and founding member the Carnegie Art Center where she was an active volunteer for its 30 years of operation. She was privileged to assist Art Walla establish art sculpture in downtown and in Pioneer Park. She took special pride in funding the little dog on Main Street outside Starbucks. Besides other volunteer activities she enjoyed 9-hole golf and gardening, especially working with flowers. As a lover of music, she had season Symphony Orchestra tickets for over 60 years. She and Dayl travelled extensively together prior to his passing in 1998.

She is survived by her sons, Bill and Mark, their spouses Frances and Margaret, and their families.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on June 7, 2014, at St Paul’s Episcopal Church in Walla Walla with Rev. Birch Rambo, officiating. Doris requested that memorial gifts be sent to St. Paul’s Church, Christian Aid Center, and/or Y.M.C.A through the Herring Groseclose Funeral Home, 315 W. Alder St., Walla Walla, WA 99362.