Robert Henry Graves

Robert Graves of Manistique, Michigan, went home to be with his Creator July 17, 2014, surrounded by his family. Robert (Bob) Graves was born January 5, 1921, in the Hiawatha area between Manistique and Munising. He spent most of his life in this area with his mom and dad, Raymond and Mercy Graves, and his sixteen brothers and sisters. He learned the importance of work young being hired out when he was twelve to milk cows, raise cattle, and work on farms to help earn money for his family during The Depression. He learned how to raise horses and used them for grading roads for logging in the woods of the U.P. Logging and building roads just "got under my skin," he once said. Bob loved the woods and everything in it. As he grew, he became an avid hunter to provide food for his family and friends during hard times. His sister Mary once said, "He ran through the woods like a deer." From early on in his life, Bob learned that work was vital to feeding his family. His love for his brothers and sisters was shown in his constant provision for them which later grew to providing for his own family.
Bob married Hilda Karr October 6, 1942. He was faithful to her and to his family for over seventy-two years. Bob and Hilda had six children and made their lives together in the same stretch of country between Munising and Manistique where Bob grew up. He continued logging to support his family and his extended family. During WWII, Bob supervised a work crew of prisoners of war from Camp Evelyn. He enjoyed working with the men and thought they enjoyed working for him. Bob built many roads for his logging crews saying, "I think, I built 1,000 to 1,200 miles of road in my lifetime." Bob later started a Graves saw mill and provided wood to Munising's paper mill and Hartho. After the war, Bob was able to provide jobs for his brothers and brothers-in-law at the saw mill or by logging for him. Bob and Hilda also ran a summer resort on Boot Lake where their children worked and played. Bob and Hilda followed the logging industry to Vestaburg, Michigan, in 1974 with their hearts full for the U.P. They returned to Manistique in 1983 to run Poplar Bluff Cabins and to continue logging.
Whether it was building roads, logging, or building an addition to the resort, Bob always worked to provide necessities and pleasure for his family and for others. He loved people. He loved visiting, and he loved to make everyone feel welcome. From bringing his ponies to town for kids to ride, bringing wayward strangers home to feed after pulling them out of the ditch, or simply visiting with a cabin customer at Hilda's kitchen counter with a cup of coffee, Bob loved people. He was constantly concerned about the area he grew up in, worked in, and loved. Motivated by his desire for his grandchildren and great-grandchildren to have all the privileges of living in the U.P., he was always willing to discuss the topics of the day- deer population, wolf population, Lake Superior access, and game management. He wanted his family to know the past so they would be able to appreciate the future. He taught his children how to work and take care of others. He taught his grandchildren to be kind and forgiving. Bob accepted Jesus as his Savior in his late teens and was baptized by Pastor Warren Jolls in his early twenties. His life and his care for others were evidences of his submission to Christ.

Bob is survived by his wife - Hilda Graves of Shingleton; children - Arlene Green of Mt. Pleasant, MI, Robert (Linda) Graves, Jr. of Shingleton, Brenda (Hank) St.Amour of Munising, Daniel (Mary) Graves of Shingleton, and Chris (Rita) Graves of Shingleton; daughter-in-law - Cheri Graves of Vestaburg, MI; grandchildren - John (Dawn) Trzeciak, Craig Trzeciak, Terry Sue Spears, Karen (Shawn) Reeves, Rick (Sue) Green, Ward (Kathleen) Green, Rob (Lorena) Graves, Kurt (Kathy) Graves, Eric (Barb) Graves, Jessica Graves, Angel (Brad) Veneberg, Hank (Sherrie) St. Amour, Brooke Franklin, Andy (Kelly) St. Amour, Lei (Luke) Pickard, and Dan (Nicole) Graves; 41 great-grandchildren; 2 great-great grandchildren; brother - Don (Judy) Graves of Munising; sister s - Mary Sanders of Pontiac, Viola Mae (Leo) Anecki of Bradenton, FL, and Patricia (Rod) Ward of Hastings, MI; sisters-in-law - Jean Graves, Stella Graves, and Anne Graves; brother-in-law - Art Normand; numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, son - Timothy Graves; son-in-law - Rod Green; brothers - Roy, Ed, Rich, Ron, Joe (Ida), and infant brother Raymond Graves; sisters - Irene (Harold) Brock, Leona (Blair) Kroupa, Vivian Normand, Mert Brown, Eva (Bill) Robare, and Ida Scoon.

Services will be held at the Munising Baptist Church in Wetmore on Saturday, July 19, 2014. Visitation will be from 3:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. Pastor Jason LaFlamme will conduct Bob's funeral service at 5:00 p.m. Interment will be at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Munising.