Russell "Russ" Graverson

Russell (Russ) Oscar Graverson, 75, a resident of Jamestown, NC, passed away on Thursday, September 21, 2023, following a period of declining health. He was born in Neenah, WI, on November 23, 1947, and attended Neenah High School and the Milwaukee Institute of Technology.

Russ is survived by Joyce Odum Graverson, his loving wife and life partner of 38 years, his daughter Letitia "Letty" Graverson Arbogast (Adam) of Williamsburg, VA, two grandchildren, Jake Jonah Arbogast and Abigail "Abby" Dashiell Arbogast, and one brother, Scott Graverson (Gwen) of Tampa, FL.

Russ was preceded in death by his parents, Howard and Hilda Graverson, a brother Gregg, and two sisters, Ingrid, and Barbara.

In 1968 Russ enlisted in the United States Navy and served on the USS Enterprise in Newport News, VA. He was deployed to Da Nang, Vietnam that same year. While on assignment there he was wounded in action and subsequently awarded the Purple Heart medal. Upon recovery he was stationed in Honolulu, HI.

Following completion of military service, he returned to Virginia and accepted the position of Technical Director/Lighting Designer for the live shows at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg. It was there he met and worked with his future wife, Joyce Odum, a professional musical theater performer. They married in 1984. Their mutual interest and work in the entertainment industry then took them to Bermuda. Russ served as the Production Manager/Lighting and Sound Engineer and Joyce performed for two Broadway revue-style shows at the Princess Hotels.

In 1990 he and Joyce moved back to the States, making Jamestown, NC, their permanent home. There Russ worked in the carpentry field and later joined the Norwegian furniture manufacturer Ekornes, Inc as their High Point and Las Vegas Showroom Manager/Zone Coordinator until his retirement in April of 2020.

Russ was a man of many talents – when he encountered a challenge or a problem, he could always find a solution. As a master craftsman, he excelled in the custom design and fabrication of woodwork. He was an accomplished chef and grill master, adept at all things IT, and loved his yard and garden.

Russ cherished his family above all else. He was a devoted husband to Joyce, loving father to his daughter Letty, and a proud and doting grandfather to Jake and Abby. In addition, he took seriously his role of "Dog Dad" to his many beloved "Fur Babies" - Lucky, Makita, Bobby, Billy, Tessa, Sandi, Buster Brown, Betty Boop, Otis, and Rambo.

A Celebration of Life Service, to include full military honors, will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday, September 30, 2023, at the Hanes-Lineberry Funeral Home Sedgefield Chapel. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 12:00 PM until the service time.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice of the Piedmont, 1801 Westchester Drive, High Point, NC 27262, or the D.A.V., Guilford County Chapter 20, P.O. Box 4, Greensboro, NC 27402.