He was a retired district superintendent and minister in the Church of the Nazarene.
Harold B. Graves was born October 12, 1927 in Nashville, Tennessee. Later in his
childhood, his family moved to Franklin, Tennessee, where he graduated high school.
Harold served in the Navy for two years before attending Trevecca Nazarene University.
He received a bachelor’s degree in ministry from Trevecca in 1952, and in 1981 he
received his Doctorate of Divinity from Mount Vernon Nazarene University.
He married the love of his life, Bettie Eby in 1949 and together they celebrated 70 years of marriage in December 2019.
He began his ministry as an undergraduate, pastoring Waverly First Church of the Nazarene from 1951-1952. He served as an evangelist in Tennessee until 1953, when he returned to the pastorate at Gallatin First Church of the Nazarene (1953-1956). He
also served at Old Hickory Church of the Nazarene (1956-1963) and Clarksville First
Church of the Nazarene (1963-1968) before moving to Indiana to pastor Gary Glen
Park Church of the Nazarene (1968-1973). In 1973, he became pastor at Cincinnati
Springdale Church of the Nazarene where he served until 1975, when he received the
call to become the San Antonio District Superintendent in San Antonio, Texas.
He led the San Antonio District until 1980, when he became Superintendent of the
Southwestern Ohio District. He led the Southwestern Ohio District for 18 years until
his retirement in 1998. He retired to Georgetown, TX in 1998 and was active as the
pastor to Seniors of Georgetown Church of the Nazarene for almost 10 years.
Harold is preceded in death by his parents, James Elmer and Johnnie D. (Boyd) Graves;
his brothers, James and William; and his sisters, Margaret Anne Henderson and Peggy Fullen.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Bettie; five children and their spouses, Dr. Harold B. Graves Jr. (Cheryl), Dr. David Graves (Sharon) of Olathe, Kansas, Brenda Johnson (Chip), Cheri Alderman (Tod), and Ty Graves (Rebecca) of Georgetown, TX; and 14 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren.
The Family would like to thank The Oaks Gracious Senior Living Staff, Texas Home
Health Care and Hospice Austin for all of their support and care.
Visitation will be Sunday September 20, 2020 from 4:00 pm until 6:00 pm at Cook-Walden Davis Funeral Home, Georgetown, TX. Funeral Service will be Monday, September 21, 2020 at 9:30 am at Georgetown Church of the Nazarene. He will be laid to rest with military honors in a private family committal service at Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Church of the Nazarene World
Missions, send to Global Treasury Services, PO Box 843116, Kansas City, MO
64184-3116.
To share words of comfort and memories of Dr. Graves with his family, please visit www.cookwaldendavisfuneralhome.com.
