Barbara Sue Graves, age 81 of Mt. Juliet, Tennessee passed away on Monday, April 1, 2024.
Barbara was born in Henderson, TX and was the daughter of the late James Paxton Boyd and Frances Strong Boyd.
She graduated from Henderson High School in 1961. Attending Pepperdine, Whittier College, and Texas A&M, she completed her BS degree from Stephen F. Austin State College in Nacogdoches, TX in 1964. After teaching for 40 years in California, Texas and Tennessee, Barbara retired from John Overton High School in 2002. After retirement, she taught ESL at the Davidson County Jail 3 nights a week for 6 years. She volunteered with many organizations in the Mt. Juliet area including Del Webb, Victory Baptist Church, and Rutland Elementary School.
She was known at Rutland Elementary as “Grandma Rutland” by the students. The students would bring their books to her where she would listen to them read in her recliner in the hallway. Reading to Grandma Rutland always ended with a smile for both her and the kids.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by the love of her life for 57 1/2 years, husband, Merritt Graves; daughter, Amanda Lee Graves; sister, Janie Young; brothers, Chuck Boyd and Jimmy Boyd; brothers-in-law, Tom Graves and Jerry Young.
She is survived by:
Daughters – Missy (Darren) Elrod and Merri Kay Graves
Granddaughters – Paxton Elrod and Piper Elrod
Sister – Pam (Clovis) Glenn
Sisters-in-law – Kay Graves and Virginia Graves
Several nieces and nephews
Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. April 7, 2024, at Bond Memorial Chapel with Brother Chuck Groover officiating.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Rutland Elementary Library/AR program (2101 S. Rutland Road, Mt. Juliet, TN 37122)
Visitation will be held from 12-1:45 pm prior to service time Sunday at Bond Memorial Chapel, N. Mt Juliet Road and Weston Drive, Mt. Juliet, TN. (615) 773-2663.
Arrangements by Bond Memorial Chapel, N. Mt. Juliet Road and Weston Drive, Mt. Juliet, TN. (615) 773-2663. www.bondmemorial.com
For more obituaries visit https://wilsoncountysource.com/obituaries/
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