Extracted from The Waxahachie Light (Waxahachie, TX)
Saturday, January 14, 2012

Clifford Ray Graves
Aug. 17, 1944 - Dec. 26, 2011

Clifford Ray Graves, formerly of Ellis County, died suddenly Dec. 26, 2011 of a heart attack/stroke in Costa Rica.

Ray was born Aug. 17, 1944 on St. Croix U.S. Virgin Islands to the late C. Ray Graves Sr. and Viola (Hansen) Graves. After graduating from Waxahachie High School, he served in the U.S. Air Force in Thailand. Careers with various defense industries took him to Saudi Arabia, Guam and New Mexico. Ray retired from the Waxahachie Water Department to Orosi, Costa Rica. He loved his new mountain home and the Teco people.

Ray is survived by his wife, Brenda (Zagami) Graves of Orosi; sons, Byron Daven Graves of Mansfield, Robert Shane Graves of Plant City, Fla., and Patrick Ray Graves of Tampa, Fla.; sister, Juanita Ice and husband, Ron, of Rockwall; granddaughters, Kelsey and Allison Graves Shepherd of Maryland; and former wife, Joyce (Randol) Jenkins. Also surviving are nephews, Chris and Stefan Ice; cousins, Billy D. Harris and Lucille Scheuchl; stepchildren, Beau, James, Michael Williams, and Angela O'Rielly of Australia and Michelle Freeman of Fla., and their families; including St. Croix aunts and cousins.

Funeral services were held at the Orosi San Jose Catholic Church the morning of Dec. 27, 2011 with burial in the village cemetery. Family and friends will miss Ray's laughter, good humor and gentle ways. Rest in peace in the arms of our Lord.