Edmond "Ed" F. Graves

Edmond Felton Graves went to be his Lord and Savior on Monday, October 28, 2019 after a long and difficult battle with Alzheimer’s.  Ed was a fighter and with God’s strength and support he succumbed to a peaceful homegoing.

Ed met the love of his life, Delores Spruill, in his brother’s drug store.  During his illness, he told his daughter, “she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen and I knew I was going to marry her.”  Because of her age and the fact he was 8-1/2 years older, her Dad had a serious “talk” with him before he gave his permission for them to date.  They married June 17, 1960 when Delores graduated from Crockett High School in Crockett, Texas.  This was during the time Ed was serving in the Army and stationed in El Paso.  He was fortunate he did not leave the country or the state, as he was the attache to the Inspector General at Fort Bliss. Ed was discharged as Spc5 just weeks before he married.  He loved his country and took pride in serving. He has had an American flag hanging on his front porch for many years and made sure it was well lit at night.  Even during his illness, he would inquire if the light was on the flag.

Ed was born in Hazlehurst, Mississippi on August 11, 1933 to Edmond F. Graves and Lillie Mae Graves. As a young boy, he came to know the Lord as his Savior at First Baptist Church and still holds the record for perfect Sunday School attendance … 12 years! He graduated from high school in 1952 where he played centerfield and pitcher for his baseball team.  While in high school, he also achieved his Eagle Scout badge and was always proud to say he was a scout.  Ed attended Ole Miss for two years majoring in chemical engineering but when his brother graduated from pharmacy school he moved to Dallas to live with a sister and continue his education at Arlington State University. Ed has always been a huge Ole Miss fan and enjoyed attending games in his younger years. During this time, he began a long and successful  career with Dresser Industries (then Security Engineering), a career that lasted forty five years.  He retired in February 1999 from the new company, Halliburton.

Ed was very involved in DeSoto Baseball and served as president of the league several years. He loved his Demons baseball boys and the other coaches:  Edwin Antici (another MS boy), Frank Adamcik, Morris Bolgiano and Rex Templeton.  He eventually graduated to keeping stats for the DeSoto High School Baseball Team. He also was instrumental in helping start the DeSoto Pee Wee football league.  Ed was a true sportsman and enjoyed fishing and hunting with his friends and son and eventually his grandson.  In the summer months he and Delores helped transport the summer track team to track meets his daughter participated in.

Ed was an active member of Hampton Road Baptist Church in DeSoto and was ordained as a deacon by Dr. Jerry Raines, his pastor for sixteen years.  Ed was a behind-the-scenes person and could be found working on the grounds, working inside and just whatever needed to be done.  He and Delores worked with toddlers for over twelve years. Being the RA leader was his most challenging position at church, but he and the boys had fun times together while studying the Bible. He loved serving and helping the widow ladies assigned to him.  As Ed grew older, church and faith became even more important to him and especially in his final years.  He loved his family as well as his church family.  Thanksgiving and Christmases were always spent at his house in DeSoto or later at the lake house.  He enjoyed fishing off the dock or going trolling with Buddy Sawyers in the evenings.  Many fun times were celebrated at the lake house.

Ed is survived by his wife Delores Spruill Graves; son Brian Edmond Graves; daughter Tracie Lynn Isom and son-in-love Bill Isom, Jr. as well as one of the loves of his life, Michael Alexander Isom, his grandson.  He is also survived by nephews Lamar Douglas and wife Debra; Johnny Earl Gibson and wife Gloria, David Graves and wife and Paul Timothy Graves and wife; niece Theresa Howser and husband Isaac; nephew Michael Spruill and wife Carmen. Sister-in-law Margaret Graves, Jeanie Webb and husband Philip, brother in law Charles M. Spruill and wife Cheryl and a host of great nieces and nephews and his dear cousins Barbara, Charlie, Donald, Lydia and Kay.  As a family, we will miss him greatly, as he was our patriarch.  He loved God, his family, his country and was incensed when people would not salute the flag.  We are blessed he is now at peace and enjoying heaven with Jesus and his family and friends whom have gone on before him.

Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, Hampton Road Baptist Church or the charity of your choice.

Visitation: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, November 4, 2019 at Hampton Road Baptist Church, 400 N. Hampton Road, DeSoto, TX 75115

Funeral Service: 11 a.m. Tuesday, November 5, 2019, Hampton Road Baptist Church, 400 N. Hampton Rd., DeSoto, TX 75115

Interment with U S Army honors will follow at 2:15 p.m. at Dallas/Ft.Worth National Cemetery.

Pallbearers are: Jerry Moody, Curtis Cheatham, Larry Goad, Leon Watson, Buddy Sawyers, Tommy Cole and Tom Slaton.

Honorary Pallbearers will be  "the Older Men's Class" .