Willodean Davis Graves was born to James Burk Davis and Leanis Williams Davis on Oct. 15, 1928. She died Jan. 13, 2015 after a long illness.
She was a native of Birmingham, but a resident of Fairhope for 45 years.
She was a faithful member of First Baptist Church.
She appreciated each day and all of her blessings and enjoyed being a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a great-grandmother and a friend to many. She was a person of deep faith and participated in church work as long as health permitted, having been a Sunday school teacher, choir member, director of Women’s Missionary Union, leader of Girls Auxiliary and director of Howard College Nursery for Children of Ministerial Students. She was also a member of the Esther Sunday School Class and then the Open Bible Class.
A gifted and talented musician she, in state competition, was the winner of First Chair Cello in the All-State High School Orchestral Festival of 1946 at the University of Alabama. She was consequently awarded a music scholarship to Stetson University.
She was principal cellist in the first Orlando Civic Orchestra and guest cellist for the Samford University Orchestra under the direction of George Koski.
Although challenged by ill health in later years, her faith and effervescent personality overcame the challenges of life. She was an inspiration to her family and to those who knew her. Her beautiful smile and optimism for life never dimmed.
She is survived by her husband of 66 years, having married at Ruhama Baptist Church on Dec. 26, 1948. They were sweethearts in grade school, dated in high school and married in college.
She is also survived by her son, Roy Stanly (Debbie) Graves; daughter, Kathy Graves Justiss; eight grandchildren, Benjamin R. (Mindi) Graves, Britt (Amber) Graves, Davis (Leslie) Graves, Aaron (Valori) Justiss, Katie Justiss, Nathaniel Justiss, Annie Justiss and Rachel Justiss; great-grandchildren, Charlie, Ann Hensley, Jane Ellis Graves, Finn, Thomas, Henry Justiss, Ellie Grace, Emmy Clarie Graves and Logan Annslee Graves; brother, James B. Davis; and nephew, Lant Davis.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015, at 10 a.m., at Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Home in Fairhope.
The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.
Interment will follow in Memory Gardens of Fairhope.
Arrangements by Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Home, Fairhope.
