Jacquelyn Hilger Graves

Jackie passed away peacefully at home in Aurora, CO on March 16, 2021 at the age of 101.

Jackie was born January 25, 1920 to William and Josephine Hilger in Dallas, TX. She was raised and attended school in Dallas. Jackie graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1936. She continued her education at Southern Methodist University receiving both her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Mathematics in 1940.

While at SMU, Jackie became a member of the Gamma Phi Beta Sorority. She remained active throughout her life with their Alumni Association and was heavily involved with many of their charity activities.

Jackie went to work for Southwestern Life Insurance in the Actuarial Department, working there throughout WWII. Using her Math skills, before the invention of computers, made those jobs easy. She ended her work career with Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance. She always enjoyed her work and the many friends she made there.

Jackie met Paul Kempton Graves after he returned from his war service in Europe and North Africa. They were married in Dallas on December 14, 1949. Paul worked for Western Electric, part of the Bell Telephone System, as they began their married life. They were transferred to Albuquerque, then Santa Fe, New Mexico where their first child Margaret (Peggy) was born in 1951. They were then transferred to Phoenix, Arizona where second daughter Paula was born. Denver, Colorado was the next city on their journey where they bought their first house in Aurora. Their son Paul, Junior was born after several years in Colorado. In each new city, Jackie handled the duties of making a home for her family, making friends and keeping up with the family they left behind in Texas.

Jackie was raised Catholic and her faith was always important to her. She was a founding member of St. Pius X Parish in Aurora and remained an active member throughout her life. Over the years, she supported many Catholic organizations. St. John Vianney Seminary, and some of her Archbishops’ special projects such as The Catholic Foundation were the ones she had special interest in.

One of the special groups that Jackie belonged to and was very active with was the Partners, a service organization composed of the spouses of Western Electric employees. Two of the most important projects the ladies were involved in where the making of Layettes for premature babies and of pillows for heart patients. Jackie, her scissors and sewing machine were always ready.

One of Jackie’s passions was playing Bridge. She was always up for a game. She was expert at the game and was always considerate of partners who were less skilled at the game. She belonged to many bridge groups throughout her life. At the time of her death, she was still a member of the Metro Bridge Club, the Gamma Phi Beta Marathon group and her Thursday 2-Table group.

Jackie was an accomplished baker. Baking was a task that she always enjoyed and it was not always just for the family. Mother provided cookies, cupcakes, cakes and pies for school and church bake sales, for meals for Women’s Shelters, as gifts for friends. She always remembered what each person’s “favorite” was.

Jackie was originally not a very avid sports enthusiast. In the early years of the Denver Broncos, she would watch the televised games and over time became a bigger fan. When the Colorado Rockies arrived on the scene, baseball picked up a new fan. Jackie followed the team closely, watching the televised games and attending a few home games every year and always voting for the All Stars. She even won a Rockies player’s All Star Jersey that was signed by the player for her at a home game. She continued to wear that jersey to many of games she attended over the years. Jackie also became a big fan of the Houston Astros attending games whenever she was visiting her children in Houston.

Jackie also loved her own pets Dubee, Sox and Alex as well as all of the family’s and friend’s pets that wandered through her life. She was a big supporter of homeless pets through the Denver Dumb Friends League.

Jackie is survived by daughter Peggy Graves, daughter Paula Graves and her companion Wesley Parsons. She is also survived by family members Frank & Sandy Sweeney, Jack & Berit Sweeney, Elaine Sweeney and Step-Grand Daughter Megan Lott and her children Alex and Grace. Jackie is also survived by her Grand dogs Sully, Mike, and Zeke.

Jackie was preceded in death by her husband Paul, Sr., her son Paul, Jr., and her sister Bette Watkins.

Jackie’s funeral mass is being officiated by Rev. Michael Friehofer. Jackie had known Father Michael since his days at the seminary. Wes Parsons and Larry Kier are the pall bearers. Frank Sweeney, Jack Sweeney, Pete Petersen, and Dale Smith are the honorary pall bearers.

If you wish to honor Jackie with a memorial donation, here are several of her favorite organizations:

Denver Dumb Friends League

ddfl.org

The Catholic Foundation of Northern Colorado

www.TheCatholicFondation.com

Denver Alumnae Chapter of Gamma Phi Beta

www.denvergammaphibeta.com

Or Your favorite charity