Ethel McDonnell Graves Obituary

Grew up in Schenectady New York. Early on she won talent shows by tap dancing while playing the violin. After finishing High School at 16 she graduated from Mildred Elley business school in 1942. She worked at General Electric in Schenectady from March 1943 to September, 1945. After earning and saving enough money to attend the University of Rochester, she graduated in 1949 with major in world history and minors in French and Spanish. While working with Atlantic Refining Co. in Syracuse, NY. she was the finalist out of 9000 entrants for an all expense paid trip for two to Europe sponsored by Lorenzo's Restaurant. She wrote the winning entry in a 25 words or less contest on what made Lorenzo's an outstanding restaurant. On July 1, 1950 she married David Payton Graves. One month after the wedding her husband was offered a position with General Electric in Mexico City. They lived there for 5 years where they perfected their Spanish and where their first son, David, was born. Back in Schenectady they had two more boys, William and Glenn. Ethel had a thirst for life long learning and loved to travel. In 1967 the family moved to Bilbao Spain. Returning from Spain she and her husband lived in New York State, San Francisco, and Maracaibo, Venezuela before moving to Atlanta Georgia in 1982.

Her husband passed in 2004. In 2009 she became a charter resident of Newcastle Estates in Mequon Wisconsin where she was close to her son Glenn and wife Eileen. Ethel loved her life at Newcastle. Her greatest joy was her husband and boys, their spouses Catherine, Lori and Eileen, and the grandkids (Daniel, Joshua, Sharyn and Dina) and great grand kids (Rowan and Elliott) who followed. She was always learning, up to the last minute. Ethel was a kind soul and was always looking at the positive side. She was an optimist. She was most happy that her three sons were able to all be with her during her final days.

Visitation will be on Tuesday, February 8, 2022 at Lumen Christi Catholic Church, 2750 W. Mequon Road, Mequon from 12 Noon until the Rite of Funeral outside of Mass at 1 PM.