Gordon C. GRAVES

Gordon Claude GRAVES, 85, of Mechanicsburg, PA, formerly of Ulysses, died Sunday, April 28, 2024 at his daughter’s home.  

Born May 5,1938 in Whitesville, NY, he was the son of Clayton Lowell and Madge Fillmore Graves.  He attended Harrison Valley School and Northern Potter High School.  On December 31, 1957, in the Ulysses Free Methodist Church, he married Charlotte M. Moore, who predeceased him in September, 22, 2020.  

Gordon spent most of his younger years working with his family on the farm and driving truck.  For several years he operated Gordon Graves Trucking which involved a lot of feed hauling for Agway out of Buffalo.  In his later years, he worked driving for Smith’s Transfer and Fed Ex Custom Critical which took him and Charlotte all over the country.  In his final years, he enjoyed driving school bus and school van for Miller and Sons.  He loved bribing all of the kids on his bus with candy to keep them occupied.  

Gordon enjoyed camping with friends and family and loved bluegrass and gospel music and was a wonderful storyteller.  The highlights of his year were the bluegrass jams and camping at the family reunion.  He always had a story to share or funny saying and he had funny nicknames for all of his brothers and sisters!  He was a mentor and friend to many in our family and among his friends.  

He loved serving God through his witness, prayer life, and countless hours mowing and plowing snow at the church.  His greatest joy was his five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren and he took every opportunity to tell people how awesome they were.  He said they were all “perfect.”  Gordon was a member of the Ulysses Free Methodist Church and the Good News Free Methodist Church of Mechanicsburg, serving in many roles throughout the years including worship leader, delegate to conference, and head mowing guru!  

Surviving Gordon are: three children, Tim Graves of Myerstown, Tammy (Tony) Botek of Harrisburg, and Kym (David) Cavey of Hampstead, MD; five grandchildren, Hannah (Dave) Callihan and Kelly (Ed) Doll, both of Hampstead, MD, William (Angie) Folk of Bowmansville, Olivia Botek Nunnery (Lukas) of New York, NY, and Abigail Botek of Greenville, NC; eight great-grandchildren, Christian Folk, Brooklyn Folk, Morgan Folk, Emma Folk, Raymond Callihan, Ann Callihan, John Doll, and Emelia Everett; a brother, Francis Graves of Watsontown; many cherished nieces and nephews and special lifelong friends.  In addition to his parents and wife, he was predeceased by three brothers, Mark Graves, Edward Graves and Clayton Graves, Jr.; three sisters, Maxine Graves, Georgia Outman, and Gretchen Lewis.  

Friends may call Wednesday, May 1, 2024 from 6:00 – 8:00 PM at Olney-Foust Funeral Homes & Crematory, Ulysses, PA.  Funeral Services will be held 11:00 AM, Thursday, May 2, 2024 in the Ulysses Free Methodist Church.  Burial will be in Ulysses Cemetery.  Memorials may be made to the Ulysses Free Methodist Church.  Online condolences may be expressed at www.olneyfoust.com.