Kenneth D. “Lefty” Graves, 56, Grove, Okla., passed into eternal rest at 11 p.m., Friday, June 19, 2009, at the Integris Grove General Hospital after an illness.
Kenneth DWyane Graves was born June 7, 1953, in Newton County, the son of Edgar Arno and Dicie “Poe” Graves. Kenny graduated from Seneca High School in 1972. During his boxing career in the Golden Gloves in Kansas City, he was the first recipient of the Hank Stram award. He was well-known as a rodeo clown and had formerly worked as a funeral director in the state of Texas and an EMT. Later, he worked at Tyson Foods in Noel, and Pelican Transportation in Grove. Kenny was a member of the Cornerstone Church in Grove.
Survivors include his son Stuart Graves, Grove; two brothers, Arno Graves and wife Claudia, Wyandotte, Okla., and David Graves, Joplin; three sisters, Mary Chumbley, Seneca, Martha Griffin and husband Ron, Seneca, and Linda Naylor and husband, Glennis, Neosho; Uncle and Aunt Wellon and Vernadean Poe, Bristow, Okla., and aunt Geraldine Poe, Bakersfield, Calif.; and a host of nieces nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Dicie Graves, his father, Edgar Graves and one daughter, Michala Graves.
Funeral services, under the personal direction of Campbell-Biddlecome Funeral Home, Seneca, will be held at 2 p.m., Tuesday at the Cornerstone Church in Grove, with Bill Lay officiating. Burial will be in the Seneca Cemetery. Serving as pallbearers will be Sturart Graves, Feryl Malone, Teryl Malone, Tim Reynolds, Jeff Stone and Don Taylor. Honorary pallbearers will be Arno Graves Jr. David Griffin, Donnie Roberts, Perry Roberts and Roger Mills.
The family will receive friends at Campbell-Biddlecome Funeral Home from 7 to 8 p.m. today.
Grove, Okla. —
