To: All Staff Members From: J. W. Maucker, President Date: October 21, 1968
Dr. Mary W. Graves, Associate Professor of English at the University of Northern Iowa, passed away on October 18, 1968, at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota, following a lengthy illness. She had been on disability leave from her teaching responsibilities since 1965. Dr. Graves, who was born in Marshalltown, Iowa, in 1911, had served on the University staff since 1949. She received the B. A. degree from the University of Northern Iowa in 1931, and the M. A. and Ph. D. degrees from the University of Iowa, the latter in 1935. Before joining the staff at the University of Northern Iowa, she taught in the public schools of Iowa and Kansas and at Wayne State Teachers College, Wayne, Nebraska. Dr. Graves had been a member of Iowa Colleges Conference on English, Modern Language Association, National Council of Teachers of English, American Association of University Professors, National Education Association, Iowa State Education Association, Kappa Delta Pi, Sigma Tau Delta, and Pi Omega Pi. Funeral services will be held at 3:00 this afternoon at the Nottger Funeral Home in Cedar Falls with burial in Fairview Cemetery. The flag will be flown at half-mast, and the Campanile bells will be played during the time of the funeral service in memory of Dr. Graves. A memorial fund is being established at the University of Northern Iowa; additional information on this will be forthcoming.
Senate Minutes January 13, 1969
MARY WHEAT GRAVES
After three years of serious illness borne with the grace and character that distinguished her whole life, Mary Wheat Graves died at St. Mary's Hospital, Rochester, Minnesota, on October 18, 1968. Born at Marshalltown, Iowa, in 1911, receiving her A. B. from the University of Northern Iowa in 1931, and her M. A. and Ph. D. from S. U. I. in 1933 and 1935, Dr. Graves taught first in Iowa and Kansas, later becoming Professor and then Acting Chairman of the English Department of Wayne State Teachers College at Wayne, Nebraska, in the years from 1943 to 1949. In the autumn of 1949 she returned to the University of Northern Iowa (then Iowa State Teachers College), and as Associate Professor began that career of dedicated teaching here that her colleagues, her advisees, and especially her students will long and gratefully remember.
As a widow with young children to care for, she managed her private life with loving dignity, and with the same quiet competence, the same gracious, unstinted giving of her time and interest that characterized her professional life. No one had more perceptive and patient concern for the fullest and freest development of the individual--any individual, including herself--than did she. Having completed a thesis on Spenser's imagery, she read, she studied, she worked away thoughtfully on other subjects that interested her--on Chaucer, on myth in contemporary literature, on the relation of modern writings and violence. What she liked best to teach were the masterpieces of her beloved Major British Writers course. It was not merely that she so loved literature that she brought many an astonished beginning student to know and enjoy its 'fresh fields and pastures new.' She had also a way of finding out all sorts of hitherto unburgeoning capacities in these students themselves. With her own instinct for seeking out excellence, she excited this same quest in others. And to the less able student as to the gifted, she gave generously and tirelessly the insight, the wise good humor, the understanding help and encouragement needed.
But her life was by no means all academic. Rather, it was deeply and richly human, as her love of travel, her devoted family, and above all her marriage to Bill Graves in 1960 warmly evidence. That the meaning and purpose of such a life may go on as she would have wished, her family is establishing a memorial fund in her name. Hers was a spirit finely touched to fine issues, and she will be sorely missed. Yet in the words of one of her many friends and colleagues, 'Memories survive, and in them survives also something of the person Mary Graves was--and is--in the lives of those she touched.' (Written by Louise Forest) Rites Set For Prof At UNI Services for Dr. Mary W. Graves, associate professor of English at the University of Northern Iowa, will be 3 p.m. tomorrow at the Nottger Funeral Home. Rev. David R. Bluhm will officiate. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery.
Dr. Graves, 57, of 1115 W. 20th Street, Cedar Falls, died Friday morning at St. Mary's Hospital, Rochester, following a lengthy illness. She was born April 24, 1911, in Marshalltown, the daughter of Clark and Lena Wheat. She was educated in rural schools and at New Hampton High School. She received her B. A. from ISTC in 1931 and took graduate study at SUI in Iowa City where she received her Ph. D. degree in 1935, and took further post-graduate courses in 1941. Dr. Graves held positions at SUI, Nebraska State Teachers College at Wayne, Nebraska; and at UNI. She had been on disability status at UNI for the past three years. She was a member of the Modern Language Association; American Association of University Professors; AAUW; Iowa College Conference on English, National and Iowa; Kappa Della Pi, Pi Omega Pi, and Sigma Tau Delta.. Dr. Graves was married June 2, 1934, to Murvel H. Hanawalt, who died in 1948.
On June 24, 1960, she was married to Billy Van Graves, who survives. Other survivors include a daughter, Mrs. Clark Van Hauen, 1925 Belle Avenue, and son, David Bliss Hanawalt, of Ft. Dix, New Jersey; two grandchildren, two sisters: Amy Althea Zimmer and Flora Viola Knoll; and four brothers, Wilber, Elmer, Theodore, and Otis. She was preceded in death by her parents, a step-brother, and three step-sisters. A memorial fund is being established at UNI. Dr. Mary Graves Funeral services for Dr. Mary W. Graves, 57, of 1115 W. 20th St. will be conducted at 3 p.m. today at the Nottger Funeral Home. Dr. David Bluhm and Dr. Wallis Anderson will officiate and burial will be in Fairview Cemetery, Cedar Falls. Dr. Graves died Friday morning at St. Mary's Hospital, Rochester, Minnesota after a lengthy illness.
She was an associate professor of English at the University of Northern Iowa. Dr. Graves had been on disability status at UNI for about three years. Mary Agnes Wheat, the daughter of Clark Wilbur Wheat and Lena May Hill Wheat was born April 24, 1911, at Marshalltown. She received her B. A. degree from Iowa State Teachers College in 1931. After a year of teaching at Ireton Public Schools, Dr. Graves entered the graduate school of the State University of Iowa. She was awarded her master's degree in 1933 and her doctorate in 1935. She pursued post doctoral study during the 1941-42 academic year at the State University of Iowa In the fall of 1949, Dr. Graves became a member of the Department of English Languages and Literature at the University of Northern Iowa and remained there until forced to go on disability status in the fall of 1965. She was married on June 2, 1934, to Murvel H. Hanawalt who died in 1948. On June 24, 1960, she was married to Billy Zan Graves who survives. She is also survived by two children, a daughter, Mrs. Clark (Patricia) Van Hauen of 1925 Bell Avenue and one son, David Bliss Hanawalt and two grandchildren. Dr. Graves is also survived by two sisters, Mrs. Vern (Amy) Simmer of Floyd, Iowa, and Mrs. Flora Knoll of Waterloo and four brothers. She is preceded in death by her parents, one stepbrother, and three stepsisters, plus many nieces and nephews. A memorial has been established at the University of Northern Iowa in her memory.
Copyright Cedar Falls Record, October 21, 1968.