Graves, Joanne (1932-1948)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1948 Sep 9 p. 5

Birth date: 1932 Apr 5

text of obituary:

. . .

— Funeral services were held at the Walton Mennonite church Monday afternoon for Joanne Graves, 16 year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Graves of Peabody who passed away Friday, Sept. 3. The girl, an invalid, was severely burned in a fire at the Graves home 11 days before her death, but the immediate cause of death was pneumonia brought on by breathing fumes at the time of the fire, it was stated. The parents, a brother and two sisters survive. Burial was made in the Gnadenau cemetery south of Hillsboro.

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1948 Sep 23 p. 3

text of obituary:

JOANNE GRAVES

Joanne Graves, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Graves, was born on April 5, 1932, at Buhler, Kansas. It gradually became apparent to the parents that she had entered this life with a mental ailment, so medical aid was sought. After repeated consultations with various physicians and specialists, it was finally determined that no human help would be available. Her ailment was declared to be spastic paralysis, caused by a pre-natal injury to the brain.

By God's grace we were able to resign ourselves to the fate which Divine Providence had decreed for her and for us. Formerly she was able to sit up in a rocking chair occasionally, but for the last two years she had been bedfast. All her life she required the care of an infant, and the Lord very graciously provided the necessary strength and the abundant love which made this not a burden, but a delight.

Twice, first at the age of 11 months, and again at the age of seven years, he was severely stricken with pneumonia, so that we despaired of her life, but both times the Lord granted recovery.

On Monday afternoon, August 23, the terrific heat caused by a kerosene stove explosion resulted in severe injury to her lower limbs, and the heat and fumes entering her lungs caused pneumonia to set in. After lingering between life and death for over a week, her breathing became more irregular at noon of Friday, Sept 3, and 13 minutes after 12 her stainless life here on earth came to an end when she very quietly fell asleep and went to be with her Maker at the age of 16 years four months and 28 days.

Her soul was bound up with ours in love, and we shall miss her greatly. Yet, as her soul is now released from her earthly body, which is still before us, we are enabled to say with Job, "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." (1:21)

Besides her parents and two sisters, Ethel and Donna Jean, and a brother, Lewis James, she leaves to mourn her departure her paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Graves, her maternal grandmother, Mrs. Aganetha Wohlgemuth, and a host of cousins, uncles and aunts, and other relatives and friends. — The Graves Family.