Fidella Victoria Trujillo Graves was born on January 16, 1935 to Dora Trujillo in Monte Vista, Colorado. She passed away peacefully on Jan 6, 2024 at the age of 88. Fidella graduated from Monte Vista High School and earned an associate’s degree at Bacone College in Muskogee, Oklahoma and a nursing degree through the University of Oklahoma and Mercy Hospital in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She met her husband, Robert Louis Graves, while working as a registered nurse at Muskogee Baptist Hospital and they married on August 8, 1959. Together they raised two children, Victoria and Roberta.
During her 30-year nursing career, Fidella worked in a variety of hospital settings including surgery, infection control, the nursery, and psychiatry. She rose through the ranks and retired as director of nursing.
Fidella was reserved, kind, compassionate, and possessed a quick sense of wit. She enjoyed drinking coffee, eating chocolate, going to bookstores, listening to music, and spending time with her family. She was a strong woman of faith and enjoyed reading the Bible. She also valued education and instilled the importance of education in her family.
Fidella is survived by her daughter, Victoria Anne Graves Baudino and her husband James of Greenville, SC; daughter Roberta Michelle Graves of Austin, TX; granddaughter Marissa Baudino and her husband Chaney Landgraf of Houston, TX; granddaughter Maya Baudino of Greenville, SC; grandson Clayton (Riley) Coffee of Austin, TX; her precious granddogs Dolly Levi, Luna Lovegood, Teddy Lupin, and The Great Gatsby, and numerous nieces and nephews. Fidella is predeceased by her husband Robert (Bob) Louis Graves; her mother, Dora Lillian Trujillo Lawrence; her father, John Martinez; her stepfather, Idus H. Lawrence; her brother, Edward Idus Lawrence; her sister, Maria Emilia Trujillo Gonzales, and her beloved granddog Sirius Black.
A visitation will be held from 9:00-11:00 am on Saturday, Jan 20, 2024 followed by a funeral service. Fidella will be laid to rest immediately following the funeral service in Moore Memorial Gardens.
Moore Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens
1219 N. Davis Drive
Arlington, TX, 76012
Fidella was passionate about the welfare of children and animals. In honor of her memory, please consider a donation to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) or Presbyterian Children’s Homes and Services.
When you remember Fidella, we hope you will think of Psalm 121, A Song of Assent:
“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From whence does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved, he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will not slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not smite you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and for evermore.”
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.17