Barbara Ann Miller Graves

Barbara Ann Miller Graves, known to all as Bobbi Graves, was born in Memphis on September 10, 1935 and died April 15, 2026 surrounded by family at home. Bobbi was preceded in death by her husband, Herschel Anderson Graves, Jr, her daughter Ann Redman Graves, her parents Ruby Marie Redman Miller and James Clement Miller, Jr., her brothers James Clement Miller, III and John Scott Miller, brothers-in-law, Jack Zeitler, Dunk Bowman, Bill Barnett, and sisters-in-law Kitty Miller, Kate Miller, Virginia Love Graves Bowman and Lucy Graves Barnett and her mother and father-in-law, Dr. and Mrs. Herschel Anderson Graves, Sr. (Jennie White). Bobbi is survived by her daughters, Alice Graves Ball (Warren) of Memphis, Elizabeth Graves McAllister (J.R.) of Nashville, Miller Graves of Asheville, her son, H. Andy Graves III of Knoxville; her grandchildren, Kate Adams Blocker (Ben) of Austin, Warren Ball, III (Maggie) of Dallas, Baker Ball (Emily) of Memphis, Lizzie Ball of New York, Miller McAllister of Nashville, Jake McAllister of Atlanta, Camille Graves and Bobby Graves of Knoxville and great-grandchildren Arden and Liza Blocker and Georgia Ball; her sister Carol Miller Zeitler of Memphis, her brothers Ed Miller of Torrance, CA, and Mickey Miller (Emily) of Tampa; sister-in-law, Neasy Miller, of Garden Grove, CA and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews whom she loved dearly.

Bobbi lived in Memphis until the summer between 2nd and 3rd grade when her family moved to Bardstown, KY where they lived for the remainder of her childhood. She was a great student, a cheerleader, a member of the debate club (big surprise), a ukelele virtuoso, an editor of the school paper, and graduated Valedictorian of her class. Bobbi attended and graduated from Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro, KY where she met her

roommate and lifelong friend, Jean Turner, with whom she was texting from her iPad the last week of her life. Bobbi moved to Nashville to attend graduate school at Peabody College at Vanderbilt University and began teaching school at Central High School, where she was sometimes known as “Killer Miller” if any of the kids got into more mischief than was good for them. Bobbi met Herschel Graves at a Bachelors’ Club Ball where he broke in on a dance. That’s a great story which involves a backless dress, a fake name and a brief courtship. Bobbi and Herschel married the following year on December 19, 1959 and built a family and a life full of fun, faith, children, rich friendships, deep extended family connection, golf, tennis, bridge, travel and BIG love.

Bobbi was a true optimist about life and people, and she always instructed her children and grandchildren to be encouraging, cheerful and optimistic and as the song says to “accentuate the positive.” She frequently sang this song with their beloved Monteagle crew and to all of us growing up.

Bobbi instilled in all of her children and grandchildren a deep curiosity about the world. She loved learning and spent her entire life adding to her knowledge and understanding of things. From her lifelong love of reading and participation in her beloved Book Study Circle at Westminster, to attending Sunday School classes taught by visiting professors, to world travel and learning about different cultures, and finally to the advent of the internet! She loved having an encyclopedia of the world at her fingertips (the fabulous Granny iPad).

To us, Granny embodied the word “goodness” – in how she treated others, her deep love for family (especially the babies and children) and her enduring practice of her faith. All children, grands and great grands called her Granny, and so did their friends! She decided at 48 at the time of Kate’s birth that she was to be Granny, and it stuck. Forevermore she would be known as “Granny,” not just by her own grandchildren, but by most young people who ever met her or entered her home.

She had a deep reverence and respect for everything in God’s creation, which to her, could especially be found in nature. Much of her life was spent outdoors gardening, feeding the birds, playing golf, communing with flowers, plants, trees, hummingbirds and of course, the songbirds who counted on her and her generous, never-ending supply of hulled bird seed. She believed she communicated with all of them, and if a particular tree or plant caught her eye, she would say, “I see you over there, you sure look beautiful today! Thank you!” Anyone lucky enough to visit Bobbi’s Garden in Spring was transported into a truly magical and special place...many said it was like Eden. If it suits you, please wear spring garden colors to the service in honor of Granny!

Granny was stern in her innate sense of righteousness, and she had high standards when it came to how we conducted ourselves in the world. She expected all of us (and frankly all reasonable people) to do what was right and to abide by the Golden Rule. But she was also a character and a total goofball who made us laugh constantly.

Finally, Bobbi was very involved civically and during a big period of her life could be found in any number of volunteer posts needing her energy and time from the entry level volunteer to the Board of Directors to the Chairman. These included Westminster Presbyterian Church, Centennial Club, Junior League of Nashville, Medical Auxiliary, Southern Surgeons Club, Ensworth School, Harpeth Hall School, Hillmeade Garden Club, Cheekwood, teaching Aids Education at the Health Hall at what was then called the Cumberland Museum, a 4 week medical exchange program trip to Africa where she taught school every day and Dad doctored and operated to relieve the village physician, and many other organizations we have probably forgotten.

We are eternally grateful for her wonderful life full of blessings and for her love for her family and friends. A Service of Witness to the Resurrection will be held on Thursday, April 30, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church with a visitation to follow in the church parlor from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. Any Memorial contributions may be made in her name to Westminster Presbyterian Church or to any charity of your choice.