Bertha ‘Bert’ Graves

Published 5:05 pm Monday, January 11, 2016

Mrs. Bertha “Bert” Graves, of Deadmon Road, Mocksville, died Monday, Jan. 11, 2016.

She was born in Davie County, April 1, 1918, the last of 7 children of the late Hampton Calhoun Jones and Ida Jane Shives Jones, and lived in Davie County the remainder of her life. She married the late Kerr Bailey Graves on Dec. 22, 1938. They became parents to three children and provided a loving home for them on Deadmon Road. She graduated from Mocksville High School in 1935, and Cool Spring High School in 1936. After graduation she worked at the hosiery mill over Sanford’s Garage in Mocksville. She then worked at the United Variety Store (the old Rintz 5 & 10) on Main Street. After spending time at home raising her three children, in 1952, she began work at Monleigh Garment Co. where she worked one week. She left there, stayed home to care for her youngest child while the older two were in school, and raised cotton on part of the family land. After four years, in 1956, her love of people led her to a career of providing nutritional and healthcare services at Davie County Hospital. After 11 years in nutrition, she continued on at the local hospital as a nurse’s assistant until 1968, when she went to work for Fiber Industries where her sister worked. After a year and a half, she went home to provide in-home care for her mother-in-law, Eva Deadmon Graves, and assist her sisters in the care of her own mother. Following their passing in 1970, she returned to NA duties at the local hospital and continued there until her retirement in 1980. She was a neighbor and friend to many, especially her next door neighbors of 70-plus years to whom she provided care and support in the last years of their lives. Mrs. Graves chose to walk with Christ at the early age of 13. She remained a faithful member of the congregation of Jericho Church of Christ until 1958, when for convenience, moved her membership to the newly-formed congregation at North Main Church of Christ in Mocksville. She was the oldest living charter member of the North Main congregation. Even though she had to work at public work on most Sundays, she always made sure her son and two daughters attended services. Because of her guidance, the children were baptized during their teen years. Her faithfulness and quiet example led her mate-for-life to Christ in his later years.

Being the last of seven children, she was preceded in death by her siblings, Mary Belle Jones Lagle, James Columbus Jones, Carl Rabon Jones, Marcia Veatrice Jones Towell, Helen Marie Jones Koontz and Frances Elizabeth Jones Turner Williams.

Survivors: her children, Richard Dwayne Graves, Betty Carol Graves Cassidy (Ken) and Marian Dale Graves Wall (Doug); 6 grandchildren, Kenneth Todd Cassidy (Beth), Carla Marie Graves Howard (friend, Lewis Vannoy), Cherie Denise Graves (fiancée, Donald Grubbs), Lisa Michelle Wall Rivers (Doug), Angela Christine Wall Mauldin (Shane), Jeffrey Thad Cassidy (Tonya); and 13 great-grandchildren, Zack, Shelton, Sam, David, Nathan, Katie, Carly, Reese, Bailey, Cadyn, Holden, Ryan, and Sydney.

A funeral service was to be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 13 at North Main Church of Christ, Mocksville. The body was to be placed in the church one hour prior to the service and the family was to receive friends at that time. A private family burial was to follow in Jericho Church of Christ Cemetery.

Memorials: Jericho Cemetery Fund, PO Box 354, Mocksville; or Hospice/Palliative CareCenter, 101 Hospice Lane, Winston-Salem, 27103.

Condolences: www.eatonfuneralservice.com.