Lowell P. “Jim” Graves Jim was born December 31, 1918, on a farm in Saline County, Kansas, one of 10 children of William Preston and Alice Grace (Hawn) Graves. He died October 8, 2015.
Jim was the last of the four brothers who ran Graves Truck Line. The company started with a single truck in the 1930s, grew into a highly-successful freight-hauling business which operated for more than four decades. Jim served on the board of the truck line and as first vice president until his retirement in 1982.
Jim was drafted into the US Army and served during World War II, stationed in Hawaii. He was wounded on Saipan and awarded with a Purple Heart. After his discharge in May 1945, he returned to Salina and returned to the family trucking business. He married Wilda Jean McDermeit on April 10, 1948.
Throughout his 43-year career, Jim was an active participant in the growth of the trucking industry. He was a member of both the Kansas Motor Carriers Association and the Missouri Truck and Bus Association. He served on the board of directors of the Highway Carriers Association of Kansas City beginning in 1962 and held the office of president from 1966 to 1967.
During his retirement, he collected antique cars and trucks. He loved tinkering with them and drove them in numerous parades. He also loved spending time with his family and at his vacation home at the Lake of the Ozarks.
He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Dwight L., William H. and John A.; and five sisters, Alice M. Ely, Ada L. Bennett, Marjorie G. Hamilton, Mary J. McLeod and Eleanor L. Murdock.
Survivors included his wife, Jean; daughters, Kathy Stafford and Barbara Graves; a sister, Ruth M. Green; three grandchildren, James H. Stafford, Douglas W. Stafford and Andrea Stafford; four great-grandsons, Justin, Isaac, Rory and Jace Stafford; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Jim was the last of the four brothers who ran Graves Truck Line. The company started with a single truck in the 1930s, grew into a highly-successful freight-hauling business which operated for more than four decades. Jim served on the board of the truck line and as first vice president until his retirement in 1982.
Jim was drafted into the US Army and served during World War II, stationed in Hawaii. He was wounded on Saipan and awarded with a Purple Heart. After his discharge in May 1945, he returned to Salina and returned to the family trucking business. He married Wilda Jean McDermeit on April 10, 1948.
Throughout his 43-year career, Jim was an active participant in the growth of the trucking industry. He was a member of both the Kansas Motor Carriers Association and the Missouri Truck and Bus Association. He served on the board of directors of the Highway Carriers Association of Kansas City beginning in 1962 and held the office of president from 1966 to 1967.
During his retirement, he collected antique cars and trucks. He loved tinkering with them and drove them in numerous parades. He also loved spending time with his family and at his vacation home at the Lake of the Ozarks.
He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Dwight L., William H. and John A.; and five sisters, Alice M. Ely, Ada L. Bennett, Marjorie G. Hamilton, Mary J. McLeod and Eleanor L. Murdock.
Survivors included his wife, Jean; daughters, Kathy Stafford and Barbara Graves; a sister, Ruth M. Green; three grandchildren, James H. Stafford, Douglas W. Stafford and Andrea Stafford; four great-grandsons, Justin, Isaac, Rory and Jace Stafford; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Lowell P. “Jim” Graves Jim was born December 31, 1918, on a farm in Saline County, Kansas, one of 10 children of William Preston and Alice Grace (Hawn) Graves. He died October 8, 2015.
Jim was the last of the four brothers who ran Graves Truck Line. The company started with a single truck in the 1930s, grew into a highly-successful freight-hauling business which operated for more than four decades. Jim served on the board of the truck line and as first vice president until his retirement in 1982.
Jim was drafted into the US Army and served during World War II, stationed in Hawaii. He was wounded on Saipan and awarded with a Purple Heart. After his discharge in May 1945, he returned to Salina and returned to the family trucking business. He married Wilda Jean McDermeit on April 10, 1948.
Throughout his 43-year career, Jim was an active participant in the growth of the trucking industry. He was a member of both the Kansas Motor Carriers Association and the Missouri Truck and Bus Association. He served on the board of directors of the Highway Carriers Association of Kansas City beginning in 1962 and held the office of president from 1966 to 1967.
During his retirement, he collected antique cars and trucks. He loved tinkering with them and drove them in numerous parades. He also loved spending time with his family and at his vacation home at the Lake of the Ozarks.
He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Dwight L., William H. and John A.; and five sisters, Alice M. Ely, Ada L. Bennett, Marjorie G. Hamilton, Mary J. McLeod and Eleanor L. Murdock.
Survivors included his wife, Jean; daughters, Kathy Stafford and Barbara Graves; a sister, Ruth M. Green; three grandchildren, James H. Stafford, Douglas W. Stafford and Andrea Stafford; four great-grandsons, Justin, Isaac, Rory and Jace Stafford; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Jim was the last of the four brothers who ran Graves Truck Line. The company started with a single truck in the 1930s, grew into a highly-successful freight-hauling business which operated for more than four decades. Jim served on the board of the truck line and as first vice president until his retirement in 1982.
Jim was drafted into the US Army and served during World War II, stationed in Hawaii. He was wounded on Saipan and awarded with a Purple Heart. After his discharge in May 1945, he returned to Salina and returned to the family trucking business. He married Wilda Jean McDermeit on April 10, 1948.
Throughout his 43-year career, Jim was an active participant in the growth of the trucking industry. He was a member of both the Kansas Motor Carriers Association and the Missouri Truck and Bus Association. He served on the board of directors of the Highway Carriers Association of Kansas City beginning in 1962 and held the office of president from 1966 to 1967.
During his retirement, he collected antique cars and trucks. He loved tinkering with them and drove them in numerous parades. He also loved spending time with his family and at his vacation home at the Lake of the Ozarks.
He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Dwight L., William H. and John A.; and five sisters, Alice M. Ely, Ada L. Bennett, Marjorie G. Hamilton, Mary J. McLeod and Eleanor L. Murdock.
Survivors included his wife, Jean; daughters, Kathy Stafford and Barbara Graves; a sister, Ruth M. Green; three grandchildren, James H. Stafford, Douglas W. Stafford and Andrea Stafford; four great-grandsons, Justin, Isaac, Rory and Jace Stafford; and numerous nieces and nephews.
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