"Coach" Wendell Graves' Obituary
Services for Wendell Graves, 86 of Longview, will be held at First United Methodist Church in Longview at 10:30 am on Wednesday April 29. Visitation will be held on Tuesday from 5-7 pm at Rader Funeral Home. Coach Graves went to be with the lord in the early hours of Sunday, April 26 surrounded by his family.
Wendell Graves was born in Longview on December 19, 1928 to parents James and Cordie McQueen Graves. Following Mr. Graves graduation from Longview High School, he received a football scholarship to attend Southwestern University in Georgetown TX where he was a member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity. Following his graduation from Southwestern, Coach Graves was employed in the Longview Independent School District as a Coach for football, baseball, and golf. During his time at Longview High School, Coach Graves won 2 district championships in golf. For the past 14 years of Coach Graves’s retirement, he has been volunteering at the Longview Cancer Center.
Mr. Graves was preceded in death by both of his parents, as well as his sister Vivian Downing and brother James W. Graves. Those left to cherish his memory include his wife of 64 years, Natalie Graves; a brother Wayne Graves; Daughter, Beth May and her husband Kenneth of White Oak; Son, Mike Graves and wife Nan of Longview; 8 Grandchildren; 14 Great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Southwestern University, PO Box 770, Georgetown TX, 78627; or Texas Oncology-Longview Cancer Center, 1300 N 4th St, Longview TX, 75601.
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