Obituary: Richard L. Graves Jr. – Whiteville, Tennessee
Richard L. Graves Jr. ~ April 23, 1927 – December 8, 2022
Richard L. Graves Jr. departed this life on Thursday morning, December 8, 2022, at his home in Whiteville.
Born in Red Banks, Mississippi to the late Richard L. Graves, Sr. and Laura Clark Graves, he moved as a child to Grand Junction, Tennessee with his family. He also lived in Fayette County and Indiana before settling in Whiteville in the early 1950s. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister, Peggy Sue Wiandt and three brothers, Marvin Graves, Jim Graves, and Terry Goodman. Mr. Graves served his country in the US Army in Japan from 1945-1947. He met his future wife, the former Mildred Connor, while working at a burger stand in Whiteville. They were married on February 28, 1953, enjoying 64 years together before her death on August 10, 2017. Together they liked to travel, many times, at just a moment’s notice. Mr. Graves worked as a mechanic, a butcher, truck driver, and as owner/operator of A&L Bargain Center in Whiteville. He was known to many for his duties as a police officer in Hardeman County. Mr. Graves served as Chief of Police in Whiteville and as a city policeman in Bolivar from 1982-1991. Formerly a member of Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, his present membership was with Whiteville First Baptist Church.
Services will be held at at Shackelford Funeral Directors chapel in Bolivar on Sunday, December 11, 2022, at 2 p.m. Burial will be in Mt. Moriah Cemetery near Whiteville.
Mr. Graves is survived by four daughters, Diane Bradford of Cordova, Sherry Long of Whiteville, Cathy Graves of Horn Lake, Mississippi, and Janet Herron of Milan; three sons, Donnie Graves of Stanton, Glenn Graves of Hornsby, and Tim Graves of Whiteville; eight grandchildren, Lee Graves, Josh Graves, Keri Beth Sayagh, Angie Hoffman, Lee Ann Smith, Sarah Stringfellow, Kenneth Phillips, and Richie Phillips; fifteen great-grandchildren, Seth McNabb, Hayden Graves, Walker Graves, Makayla Graves, Morgan Graves, Alisa Graves, Amir Sayagh, Alina Sayagh, Alai Sayagh, Summer Dawn Cagle, Skyla Puckett, Taylor Mullins, Kaylee Wallace, Addy Jo Lamberth, and Hunter Stringfellow; and three great-great-grandchild, Autumn Cagle, Winter Cagle, and one “on-the-way”.
Memorials may be sent to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Courtesy of Shackelford Funeral Directors, Bolivar, Tennessee.
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