Joyce Lorraine Graves

Joyce Lorraine (Crane) Graves was born in Loesch, Montana on March 30, 1933. She was the second daughter of Dale and Lillie (Myhre) Crane. When Joyce was 3 years old the family moved to Sagle, Idaho. They traveled in an immigrant train, sharing the train car with all their belongings…including cattle!

When Joyce was 13 the family moved to Sandpoint. She attended and graduated from Sandpoint High School in 1951. There she met the love of her life, Lee Graves. They were married on April 4, 1952, when Lee was home on leave from the Air Force. Three days later they loaded their 1946 Ford Coupe and drove to Albuquerque, New Mexico along with Lee’s brother Milford and his bride Colleen.

May 30, 1954, they welcomed their first daughter, Laurie Ann Graves. After discharge from the Air Force, Lee, Joyce, and Laurie drove to Sandpoint, Idaho. The trip was an adventure pulling their 26-foot trailer with a 1949 Chevy…with no defroster in January! Lee got a job at Kaiser Aluminum in 1955 and the family moved to a trailer park in Millwood.

In 1957 Lee took a job at J.C. Penney’s and they sold the trailer and moved into a house in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. A couple of years later Lee took a job with Albertson’s.

December 21, 1959, Joyce, and Lee welcomed their second daughter, Kristi Rae Graves. On May 22, 1962, they welcomed their third daughter, Terri Kae Graves. Joyce was a dedicated homemaker, caring for and raising her three girls.

The family moved to Yakima for 6 years, then on to Bozeman for 1 year, before settling permanently in Spokane Valley. Where they lived in the same home for 50 years!

In Spokane, as the girls got older, Joyce worked outside the home as a meat wrapper at Albertson’s. Joyce always found time for her friends and spent years in a lady’s bowling league. She greatly enjoyed time with her family, especially when the grandkids started to arrive. Joyce made sure that everyone was treated well…and that no one went away hungry! She was known for her delicious potato salad, carrot cake, German chocolate cake, and fudge!

On April 4, 2022, Lee and Joyce celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. An amazing accomplishment! It was a wonderful celebration with family and friends.

In her later years Joyce developed Kidney problems that resulted in her need for dialysis. She was treated at DaVita Dialysis Clinic 3 days a week. A special thanks to the caring staff at DaVita and to her Nephrologist, Dr. Vijay Reddy. For the final year, Joyce received excellent care at Orchard Crest Retirement Community in Assisted Living. Joyce was at Spokane Hospice House when she passed away on August 26, 2023.

Joyce was proceeded in death by her parents Dale and Lillie Crane, her sister Janice and brother-in-law Fred Fitzpatrick. She is survived by her husband of 71 years, Lee Graves, and daughters Laurie Cummings (Chuck), Kristi Bunda (Mark), and Terri Drexel (John). Grandchildren Elizabeth Cummings, Emily Masar (Dan), Brea Seaburg (Nate), Trenton Fluetsch (Hannah), Joel Drexel, Jake Drexel, Alex Drexel, and Kami Drexel. Great-grandchildren Charlie and Maxwell Jones, Hannah and Stuart Masar, Nora and Peter Seaburg, and Avery Fluetsch, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Joyce’s name can be made to American Kidney Fund or Dialysis Patient Citizens, or a charity of your choice.

A service for Joyce will be held Thursday, September 7, 2023 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM at

Thornhill Valley Chapel, 1400 S Pines Rd, Spokane Valley, WA 99206.

Following the service a graveside service from 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM at Pines Cemetery,

1402 S Pines Rd, Spokane Valley, WA 99206.