Hildegard E Graves

Hilda was the daughter of the late Adolf and Elizabeth Munzenrieder, who were originally from Vienna, Austria. She was born April 10th, 1926 in St. Paul Minnesota and was the youngest of her eight brothers and sisters.

As a young woman she moved to California to be with her sister Mary, where she met her future husband Charles William Graves. They quickly fell in love and were married December 4th, 1948 in Yuma, Arizona. She and “Charlie” went on to have five children whom they loved dearly. Charles William Jr, Elizabeth Lynn, Susan Edna, Laura Jean and John Karl.

She faithfully followed her husband as a Navy wife to many exciting destinations including Hawaii and Bermuda, all while raising her family and being a homemaker, before settling down in 1971 at their family home in Lubbock, Texas.

Hilda was always the height of fashion, and her children were always neat and impeccably dressed. This love of fashion led to her career at JCPenney’s where she worked as a Sales Person before later accepting a position at Texas Tech University as a Key Punch Operator.

She was a firm believer and follower of Jesus. She and Charlie made many friends while attending St. John Neumann Catholic Church. Hilda was quite famous locally for her award winning divinity candy and Charlie was her biggest fan.

She enjoyed baking, shopping and visiting with friends and family. In later years she enjoyed traveling and staying with her children and visiting casinos and ice cream parlors. She always knew how to pick the server who gave the biggest scoops.

Hilda had a wonderful sense of humor and a beautiful laugh. Her smile lit up the room and she was loved by many.

Hilda was often known to send you home with bags of treasures from her closets as she loved to shop and give gifts.

Her beautiful life will be cherished by her children, Daughter Elizabeth Butler and Son-in-law John Butler of Norman, Oklahoma, Daughter Susan Dunn of Midland, Texas, Daughter Laura Pierce and Son-in-law Paul Pierce of Lubbock, Texas, Son John Graves and Daughter-in-law Karen Graves of Sweetwater, Texas, Daughter-in-law Cherie Graves of Norman, Oklahoma, her twelve grandchildren, eighteen great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband Charles “Charlie” Graves, son Charles Graves Jr and her parents Adolf and Elizabeth Munzenrieder and her eight siblings.