Donna Faye Graves was born November 19, 1956. She remembered her parents telling her that a week after she was born her grandmother died. Donna grew up 20 miles out of Anthony Kansas in the country. She lived in a small house with her parents and two sisters. At her house they had cows, pigs, and a huge garden. They're small family grew smaller when her oldest sister got married when Donna was five years old. As a child she loved to read books but was very shy. For fun she would play tin can up. Tin can up is a game where someone hides the can then everyone hides, the person who is it counts, then when the can is found without getting tagged kick the can! Also for fun she would play with her dog and ride her bike. Before fun responsibilities! In the summer she would can vegetables from their huge garden. As she got older she worked in the field and a responsibility she always had was keeping her room clean. Donna went to a two room country school house. Donna was a good student and her favorite subject was reading. She remembers her favorite teacher Mrs.Cather and she is still alive today. Donna wanted to be married with kids when she grew up. Donna remembered President Kennedy being shot and Kennedy Jr. kissing the casket saying good bye to his father.
She also remembers the Farmers Oil Exploison on September 2, 1984. Two people were killed and one with serious injuries. Kenneth Ray Graves was 51 when he was shot out of the building he had burns on 70% of his body and was rushed to the hospital. " It felt like a sonic boom!" Donna said.
What is different from Donna's childhood was technology. She didn't have the technology like we do.
Adulthood
Donna didn't go to college because her parents didn't encourage it because of its cost. For most of her life she owned a store in Wichita, then worked at farmers oil. In 1975 when Donna was 18 she said I Do in church, with a long dress, four bridesmaids, and a dance with a reception. She was now Donna Faye Graves with the love of her life Larry Ray Graves. She then had Jeremey Ray Graves on Febury 9, 1976. Three years later they had Julie Rennae Graves on October 1, 1979. She said the best part of raising their children was "Watching them grow into great adults which is better then any job I could wish for." The difficult part was the times when Jeremey and Julie would be difficult.
The Present
Donna likes traveling and studying the bible to be closer to God. A normal day for Donna is doing what she wants because she is retired. To her "God, and family is the most important there is nothing more important." She had a renewing of wedding vows on the beach there was no pictures of her and Larry on their real wedding day because there was a terrible flood all the pictures were ruined. A pen hole turned into three feet of water.
Aging
In Donna's 20s she remembers working different jobs. In her 30s she remembers raising two kids and caring for a family. In her 40s and 50s she is having fun in Grove Oaklhoma because she moved there. She said she is going to try to make good health decisions so she can be active as she gets older. The best thing about getting old is having the time and money to do what you want, and hardest thing is the aging process.
Life Lessons and Legacies
Donna said what she likes best about her life is her family. Her oldest grand kid Abbey Rennae Graves was born May 22, 2001, Natalie Rose Graves was born September 12, 2003, Riley Faith Martin was born December 8, 2005, Zachery Wray was born January 18, 2006, Emalie Ann Graves was born August 8, 2007, and last but not least Cade William Curtis Martin. Those were some of her best moments of her life. The best thing about living in Anthony is its a small town everybody knows everybody people are there for you in difficult times. Her favorite memories about Anthony was going to a small store behind Larry's IGA called Campbell's where you would get to toys and candy. Then it burnt down. She said a good life would be putting God first then family and spending every minute doing these things. She said she wants us to remember she loves us a lot, and we are the most important thing in her life. She likes to laugh, and have fun and she wants us to do the same.
She also remembers the Farmers Oil Exploison on September 2, 1984. Two people were killed and one with serious injuries. Kenneth Ray Graves was 51 when he was shot out of the building he had burns on 70% of his body and was rushed to the hospital. " It felt like a sonic boom!" Donna said.
What is different from Donna's childhood was technology. She didn't have the technology like we do.
Adulthood
Donna didn't go to college because her parents didn't encourage it because of its cost. For most of her life she owned a store in Wichita, then worked at farmers oil. In 1975 when Donna was 18 she said I Do in church, with a long dress, four bridesmaids, and a dance with a reception. She was now Donna Faye Graves with the love of her life Larry Ray Graves. She then had Jeremey Ray Graves on Febury 9, 1976. Three years later they had Julie Rennae Graves on October 1, 1979. She said the best part of raising their children was "Watching them grow into great adults which is better then any job I could wish for." The difficult part was the times when Jeremey and Julie would be difficult.
The Present
Donna likes traveling and studying the bible to be closer to God. A normal day for Donna is doing what she wants because she is retired. To her "God, and family is the most important there is nothing more important." She had a renewing of wedding vows on the beach there was no pictures of her and Larry on their real wedding day because there was a terrible flood all the pictures were ruined. A pen hole turned into three feet of water.
Aging
In Donna's 20s she remembers working different jobs. In her 30s she remembers raising two kids and caring for a family. In her 40s and 50s she is having fun in Grove Oaklhoma because she moved there. She said she is going to try to make good health decisions so she can be active as she gets older. The best thing about getting old is having the time and money to do what you want, and hardest thing is the aging process.
Life Lessons and Legacies
Donna said what she likes best about her life is her family. Her oldest grand kid Abbey Rennae Graves was born May 22, 2001, Natalie Rose Graves was born September 12, 2003, Riley Faith Martin was born December 8, 2005, Zachery Wray was born January 18, 2006, Emalie Ann Graves was born August 8, 2007, and last but not least Cade William Curtis Martin. Those were some of her best moments of her life. The best thing about living in Anthony is its a small town everybody knows everybody people are there for you in difficult times. Her favorite memories about Anthony was going to a small store behind Larry's IGA called Campbell's where you would get to toys and candy. Then it burnt down. She said a good life would be putting God first then family and spending every minute doing these things. She said she wants us to remember she loves us a lot, and we are the most important thing in her life. She likes to laugh, and have fun and she wants us to do the same.