John Clinton Graves

John Clinton Graves died Thursday, January 16, 2014, at a Sioux City hospital following a brief illness. Services will be at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday at First Congregational United Church of Christ. Interment will be in Logan Park Cemetery at a later date. Though born near Holloway, MN, John moved to Cherokee, IA, & graduated from Cherokee High School, winning the state track championship in the 880 three years in a row. His 880 yd. record lasted for 33 years. His 2-mile relay team won the national championship at the Chicago World's Fair in 1934 and John was an alternate to the 1936 Berlin Olympics. He graduated from the University of Iowa in 1941. While there he was a member of the track team and was its captain in 1939. He was inducted into the Sioux City Relays Hall of Fame, the Iowa Athletic Hall of Fame & the Iowa Hall of Pride. John married his high school sweetheart, Marcella Appleton, August 2, 1941, in Cherokee, Iowa, and they were married 65 years, until her death July, 19, 2007. His decisions in life were always centered upon his devotion to his family. His love, integrity and his loyalty to his country, family, and friends are a few of his traits; but most admirable to his daughter is the perseverance, which characterized his life: whether through the Depression, Marcie's dementia, the loss of his beloved son, or enduring his recent leg amputation. He "kept on, keeping on!" John, a Bronze Star recipient, served in WWII in a signal battalion attached to the 9th Air Force, laying communication lines for General Patton; he was pleased to be able to fly to Washington D.C. on an October, 2009, Siouxland Honor Flight for veterans. John worked for Northwestern Bell Telephone Company for 36 yrs, retiring from the engineering department in 1977. He and Marcie were then able to spend some winter time with friends in California or Florida, and John always had a "project" to help them with! Never afraid of hard work, and a life-long "mister fix-it," John enjoyed sharing his talents. In the lean years of college & early marriage, John traded those talents by managing rentals in exchange for his own rent discounts. Such work continued in later years as he helped son Gordy with a home expansion, teaching him construction basics, which Gordy in turn shared with his son Brent in their own house projects. Everyone knew "if John built it, it would probably withstand a tornado!" Their friends with homes in Minnesota or the Black Hills point with gratitude to John's construction talents and generosity. He is survived by his daughter Joan (Mrs. Douglas Hartman), and daughter-in-law Joyce (Mrs. Mike Glaser), both of Omaha; grandson Brent J. Graves of Phoenix, AZ.; and brother Theodore K. Graves of Sequim, WA. John was preceded in death by parents Pearle (Perrin) Graves and James Graves, sisters Laura Long, Gertrude Grawburg; brothers Charles W., James N., Douglas F., Robert W.; wife Marcella (Appleton) Graves and son John Gordon Graves. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to First Congregational United Church of Christ or Siouxland Hospice.