Death of a Classmate - Theodore Keith Graves - 6th Co.

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Theodore Keith Graves  (1930-24 February 2017)

Ted died of complications from an infection he had been fighting since October 2016.

He was born in Cherokee, Iowa, to James and Pearle Graves, the youngest of eight children.

His early years were filled with happy boyhood memories of growing up in a small Midwestern town surrounded by a large family. During his high school years, he was an accomplished athlete, playing all types of sports and earning 11 letters.

This was the time of World War II, and five of his older brothers and one sister left home to serve in the Armed Forces. In his junior year, he met Senator Guy Gillette of Iowa and was offered an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy.

Following graduation, he worked for the senator as a doorman in the U.S. Senate Gallery. The McCarthy hearings took place during his time in Washington, D.C., and he developed an interest in politics that continued through his life.

In June 1950, he entered the academy. The next four years of academy life instilled in him a love for his country, a devotion to the ideals taught and a true patriotism as a proud American.

After graduation, he accepted a commission in the Air Force. During his service years, he received a master's degree from the University of Southern California, also compleademy.

Teaching was his gift. He used wit and humor to keep his students at ease with the learning process. He retired from the Air Force in June of 1974 with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

After retirement, he taught economics and computers at Peninsula College, where he was later approached by City Hall to convert the utilities billing system to computer processing. He then was employed as a contract instructor for the federal government (OPM) on the West Coast, mostly on military bases.

His faith and service to others were central to his life. He volunteered with seniors, shut-ins, Kiwanis and many others. He was a member of ANA, a large group of retired military people with whom he shared his love of country. He was dedicated to his church family, loved his Bible studies with the men of the church and enjoyed Saturday morning men's breakfast.

Sunday fellowship and worship services: It was all vital to his happiness. He loved the part he played.

Ted was a devoted family man who loved his wife and children with a passion that made each of us feel valued. He shared those feelings with many others in his life who were very dear to him. We will miss his warmth and his ever-present smile beyond words. Rest with God.

He is survived by his wife, Eileen; his six children, Mark (Jackie), Audrey (Jim) Tyson, Paul (Mae), Phillip (Amal), Penney Hewlett and Jennifer (Cam) Graves; 13 grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Memorial services will be at Faith Lutheran Church, 382 West Cedar Street, Sequim, this Saturday, March 11, at 2 p.m.

Linde Price Funeral Service
170 W Sequim Bay Rd
SEQUIM, WA 98382
(360) 683-1649

Published in The Peninsula Daily News on Mar. 8, 2017ting his post-graduate work at the University of Washington.

The highlight of his military career was the 5½ years on the faculty at the USAF Ac

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