EDENTON, NC – Charles A. Graves Jr., 76, of 321 Roanoke Trail, passed away Friday, June 11, 2010 in his home surrounded by his family and loved ones.
Charles was born October 4, 1933 in Syracuse, and was the son of the late Charles A., Sr. and Irene Weckworth Graves. He attended Sherburne High School, had served in the US Army and was honorably discharged in 1955. An electronics tech with G.L.A., now BF Goodrich, he was employed for 39 years until his retirement in 1995. While in Plymouth, he served as Fire Chief with the Plymouth Volunteer Fire Dept. enjoyed his Tuesday night bowling on the G.L.A. Company team on Brown Ave., hunting, fishing and his once a year salmon fishing trip with his buddies at Sandy Creek, woodworking, making each grandchild a special token of his love, tinkering on his 1968 MGB, and had raced stock cars. In Christmas of 1990 he came to visit NC and said, “If I can eat Christmas dinner on the front lawn in a sweatshirt, this is where I’m moving when I retire,” and he did so in 1995. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his sister, Beverly A. Borthwick; and a brother, William P. Graves.
Surviving are his wife of nearly 54 years, Betty Beckwith Graves; two daughters, Gina M. Wellman and husband Ralph of Edenton and Vana L. Ward and husband Richard of Plymouth; his sister, Jeannette A. Brown and husband Charles of Sherburne; a sister-in-law, Linda Graves of Syracuse; grandchildren, Tanya, Charles “C.T.”, and Eric Wellman, all of Edenton, and Amber, Jaimee, and Hunter Ward, all of Plymouth; many nieces and nephews, and a special niece and nephew, Kathy and James Fox of Norwich.
Memorial services will be held Wednesday at 3 p.m. at Chowan Beach with military honors. Friends may join the family at the residence immediately following the service. Miller Funeral Home & Crematory, 735 Virginia Road, Edenton, is assisting the family with arrangements.
Online condolences may be made by visiting www.millerfhc.com.