Rhoda V. Graves
February 9, 1916 — June 26, 2008
Rhoda Velma Graves was born on February 9, 1916, the second child in a family of five born to Chris and Emma (Rasmussen) Petersen of Jacksonville, Iowa. She attended country school and then helped care for her mother until her death in 1930. After graduating from Harlan High School, she took normal training and taught school for two years before her marriage to Jack Graves on June 2, 1937. Five children were born to this union: Jane, Charles, George, Eugene, and Gary.
In their youth, they farmed on the Graves’ family farm, which has been in the family for over 120 years. They were active in 4-H and Farm Bureau work. Rhoda worked at the Holiday Buffet, the Baptist Memorial Home, and was co-owner of the A & W Drive In.
Rhoda was a member of the Harlan Garden Club, Harlan Merit Mothers, Myrtue Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, Elm Crest Auxiliary, and has been a youth leader for 4-H. Rhoda and Jack were honored as Farm Family of the Week by WOW-TV. Rhoda was honored as a Place in the Sun recipient by KMA radio, was Mother of the Year for Shelby County in 1973, and was placed in the Shelby County Fair Hall of Fame in 1989.
Rhoda was baptized in the Danish Baptist Church in Harlan in 1925 and was a charter member of the First Baptist Church where she was a youth leader, taught Sunday School Classes and sponsored BYF, served in the kitchen, and made hundreds of quilts for mission work. She was always kind and a good cook and hostess.
Rhoda died on Thursday, June 26, 2008 at Elm Crest Retirement Home in Harlan, having attained the age of ninety-two years, four months, and seventeen days. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Jack, her sisters Eletha and Berdine and her brother Roland.
She is survived by her daughter Jane and her husband Jim Jensen of Harlan, Iowa; her sons Charles Graves and his wife Brenda of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, George Graves and his wife Judy of Des Moines, Iowa, Eugene "Fred" Graves and his wife Bev of Van Meter, Iowa, and Gary Graves and his wife Maria of Littleton, Massachusetts; eleven grandchildren; fourteen great-grandchildren; her sister Delta Wiuff of Harlan; nieces and nephews; other family members and friends.
Funeral Services were held on Sunday, June 29, 2008 at the First Baptist Church in Harlan, Iowa. Pastor Gundar Lamberts officiated the 1:30 PM service and Janeen Jensen was the soloist. Interment was held at the Harlan Cemetery in Harlan, Iowa, with Jeff Lehman, Kurt Gravley, Mark Graves, John Jensen, Jerry Jensen, and Scott Graves serving as casket bearers.
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In their youth, they farmed on the Graves’ family farm, which has been in the family for over 120 years. They were active in 4-H and Farm Bureau work. Rhoda worked at the Holiday Buffet, the Baptist Memorial Home, and was co-owner of the A & W Drive In.
Rhoda was a member of the Harlan Garden Club, Harlan Merit Mothers, Myrtue Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, Elm Crest Auxiliary, and has been a youth leader for 4-H. Rhoda and Jack were honored as Farm Family of the Week by WOW-TV. Rhoda was honored as a Place in the Sun recipient by KMA radio, was Mother of the Year for Shelby County in 1973, and was placed in the Shelby County Fair Hall of Fame in 1989.
Rhoda was baptized in the Danish Baptist Church in Harlan in 1925 and was a charter member of the First Baptist Church where she was a youth leader, taught Sunday School Classes and sponsored BYF, served in the kitchen, and made hundreds of quilts for mission work. She was always kind and a good cook and hostess.
Rhoda died on Thursday, June 26, 2008 at Elm Crest Retirement Home in Harlan, having attained the age of ninety-two years, four months, and seventeen days. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Jack, her sisters Eletha and Berdine and her brother Roland.
She is survived by her daughter Jane and her husband Jim Jensen of Harlan, Iowa; her sons Charles Graves and his wife Brenda of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, George Graves and his wife Judy of Des Moines, Iowa, Eugene "Fred" Graves and his wife Bev of Van Meter, Iowa, and Gary Graves and his wife Maria of Littleton, Massachusetts; eleven grandchildren; fourteen great-grandchildren; her sister Delta Wiuff of Harlan; nieces and nephews; other family members and friends.
Funeral Services were held on Sunday, June 29, 2008 at the First Baptist Church in Harlan, Iowa. Pastor Gundar Lamberts officiated the 1:30 PM service and Janeen Jensen was the soloist. Interment was held at the Harlan Cemetery in Harlan, Iowa, with Jeff Lehman, Kurt Gravley, Mark Graves, John Jensen, Jerry Jensen, and Scott Graves serving as casket bearers.
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