Robert L. Graves passed away on February 9, 2011, surrounded by his family after a short battle with cancer.
Robert was born on July 9, 1926, to Leslie and Gladys Graves in Waterbury Center.
Robert worked a wide variety of jobs starting in the 1940s, from working
on the farm with his father, he also served in the Army until 1951. He
then went to work as a mechanic for Lafont in Wolcott, Vermont. Here he
met his future wife, Jessie A. Shatney, of Calais, Vermont. On July 25,
1953, they were joined in marriage at the North Wolcott United Methodist
Church.
He later worked at the creamery in Danville, Vermont, when he bought his
own truck and ran his own milk route. He then worked for Bill Hill in
Hardwick, Vermont, driving a truck to deliver grain and supplies to
farmers in the surrounding towns.
In 1961, Robert and Jessie moved back to Waterbury Center where he built
a home for his family next to the house he was born in. He also started
working for the Interstate Construction Crew. Many have heard of his
story of working on the "crusher" as they chewed through the ledges
which then became Interstate 89. He also was part of building the
interstate bridges over the Winooski River in Richmond.
Later, he went to work for Pizzagalli Construction Company. For 24 years
he worked on numerous buildings in Vermont that we all use today. He
would always point out things that his crew had worked on with a great
sense of pride. He retired from Pizzagalli in the summer of 1988.
During retirement he continued to stay busy by caring for the cemeteries
in Waterbury Center. He had a deep respect for the cemeteries and made
sure they were always in top shape. Even after he stopped working for
the association, folks from out of town would come to see Robert and ask
if he knew where one of their family members was buried. He would
always say, "I'll meet you up there," and then he would always walk them
to the family's lot. Robert also worked with his son while they had the
dairy herd in the family's barn in the 1990s. He could always be found
in the summer on a tractor with a load of hay coming down the road.
Robert had a passion for woodworking and enjoyed building children's
toys and birdhouses, many of which can be seen all over Waterbury
Center. This includes the large marten birdhouse he built in the cellar
and had to rebuild the door so he could get it out of the house. Robert
also enjoyed gardening. He always tended to these gardens and got things
to grow. Robert enjoyed sharing his bounty with the neighbors. He also
donated to the local food shelf and recently started donating to the
local school. Robert would also sell his pumpkins in the fall. If he saw
a kid at the wagon looking at the pumpkins he most always went out and
told them to take their pick, because he didn't want any kid to go
without a pumpkin at Halloween time.
Robert was an active member of the Waterbury Historical Society and the
Duxbury Historical Society. He never missed a meeting. When the monthly
newsletters came in the mail, he would sit and read them cover to cover
and then talk for hours about "old times." He also constructed a replica
for the Waterbury Historical Society of the trestle that went across
what we all know now as the Hollow Road in Waterbury Center.
Robert is survived by his wife of 57 years, Jessie Shatney Graves of
Waterbury Center; six children, Norman Graves and his wife Linda of Hyde
Park, David Graves and his partner Tammy Gibbs of Waterbury Center,
Randy Graves of Milton, Wisconsin, Julie Graves Johnson and her husband
Glenn of Warren, Trudy Graves and her husband Ken Luechtefeld of Union,
Missouri, and Holly Graves Boucher and her husband Denis Boucher of
Waterbury Center. Robert is also survived by 13 grandchildren, Alyssa,
Timothy, Alexander, Philip, Caroline, Annie, Thomas, Monica, Robert,
Randy, Elizabeth, Rebecca and David; three step-grandchildren, Samantha,
Megan and Joshua; and one great-grandchild, Isaiah. He is also survived
by one sister, Elizabeth Graves Woodmansee of Waterbury Center; and
numerous nieces and nephews. Robert is predeceased by his parents,
Leslie and Gladys Graves; a brother, Herbert L. Graves; and a sister,
Irene Graves Davis.
Direct Cremation Services in South Burlington is in charge of the
arrangements. There will be no calling hours. A graveside service will
be held in the spring.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Waterbury Ambulance Service at P. O. Box 95, Waterbury Center, Vermont 05677.
