Obituary of Allen Clifton Graves

GRAVES, Allen – Passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends at Bluewater Health on Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at the age of 70. Born in the tiny town of Newcastle Bridge, New Brunswick to Lorne & Elizabeth Graves, he lived most of his life in Sarnia. Allen was a humble, generous man of strong faith who enjoyed volunteering and became President of the St. Vincent de Paul Society at his home parish, Our Lady of Mercy. He was a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus. He worked at Northern Electric for nearly a decade before moving to Terra International where he was a Site Supervisor for 31 years in Courtright, Ontario. In his spare time, he enjoyed fishing, playing card games, swimming at the beach, building sandcastles with his grandchildren and watching ships from the shore. Married for more than 46 years, Allen’s greatest love was his sweetheart and best friend, Patricia (Smith) Graves. He loved her to the fullest: sweeping her to the kitchen dance floor, walking hand in hand, having tea and watching a hockey game. Allen was an extremely loving and proud father of his son, Michael Graves (Donna, Christopher), and three daughters, Tricia Graves, Jennifer Graves Neruda (Joe, Aidan, Ethan) and Karen Vance (Jason, Clara, Tessa). He is also survived by his brother Dennis (Diane) and sisters Lorene (Fred) Allen, Judy Easley (Tim), Barbara Wilcox and Rhoda DuPlessis (Dave) all of New Brunswick; as well as his many loving brothers and sisters-in-law, cousins, nieces, nephews and other friends near and far. He is predeceased by his parents Lorne & Elizabeth Graves and mother and father-in-law, Louis & Genevieve Smith; sisters Violet, Brenda (Bill), and Linda (Winston); as well as his sisters and brothers-in-law Peggy (Margaret) Andersen, Winston Smith (Linda), Alan Marentette and Lynn Kovacs. Friends will be received at the McKENZIE & BLUNDY FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION CENTRE, 431. N. Christina St., Sarnia on Friday from 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Fr. Jim Higgins at Our Lady of Mercy Roman Catholic Church on Saturday, June 8, 2103 at 10 a.m. Interment Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery. As an expression of sympathy, friends who wish may send memorial donations to the St. Vincent de Paul Society Help Centre (Food Bank), 228 Davis St., Sarnia, N7T 1B3 or the Thoracic Surgery Unit of Victoria Hospital, 800 Commissioners Rd. E., P.O. Box 5010, London, N6A 5W9. Messages of condolence and memories may be left at www.mckenzieblundy.com     A tree will be planted in memory of Allen Graves in the McKenzie & Blundy Memorial Forest. Dedication service Sunday, September 15th, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. at the Wawanosh Wetlands Conservation Area