Gracie P. Graves peacefully passed from her earthly life on October 8, 2026 in Georgetown, Texas, joining the saints in heaven in the presence of her Lord and Savior. Gracie was born Gracie Pauline Newman in 1940 in Seymour, Texas, the youngest of six children born to Lando and Emma Newman. The family moved to Amarillo while she was still young, and Gracie graduated from Amarillo High School in 1958. Gracie's love for music and talent at singing emerged in her junior high school years. She joined her good friends Sybil Todd and Sylvia Askew in a trio, and they even sang some radio advertisements together.

While in high school, she met Howard Graves on a blind date, and they were married in 1963 following Howard's graduation from West Point. They began their married life in Oxford, England as Howard finished his time there as a Rhodes Scholar. A year later, Gracie and Howard moved to Fort Belvoir, Virginia where they got their first taste of Army life together - a journey that would continue through the next 32 years. They also started their family there, welcoming daughter, Gigi, the following year and son, Greg, the year after that.

Gracie fully embraced and flourished in her calling as a Christian, wife, mother, and military spouse. Guiding the family through seventeen military moves, she always sought out opportunities for Christian fellowship, community, and service for herself and her family. She cheerfully and warmly opened her home to family, friends, soldiers, students, leaders, and even presidents throughout the years, and she is remembered as a gracious hostess to many. She eventually served as the "first lady" for two of the Army's premier leadership institutions, the Army War College at Carlisle, Pennsylvania and the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.

After retiring from the Army, Gracie and Howard made two additional moves, finally settling in College Station, Texas, and leading the Texas A&M University System. After Howard's passing in 2003, Gracie maintained an active presence in the Bryan-College Station community and continued to call Grace Bible Church her church home. She spent time traveling to visit her children and grandchildren, and she treasured gatherings with dear friends from her Heart communities. She volunteered with local and international ministries, twice visiting Russia for women's ministry work. In her later years, she continued to welcome visitors and show them the hospitality and grace that permeated her life. She remained ready to laugh and eager to love until the very end, truly living out the meaning of her name in every way.

Gracie is survived by her children Gigi Wilkie and husband, Kevin, and Greg Graves and wife, Wya; by her grandchildren Jake (and Paige) Kail, Emma Kail, Abigail Graves, Sarah Grace Graves, AnnaBeth (and Devin) Pomeroy, and Hope Graves; by her sister, Mary Alice Cook; by two great-grandchildren, Maren Grace Kail and Elizabeth Emma Pomeroy; and by many loving nieces and nephews.

There will be a memorial service on October 24 at 3:00pm at Grace Bible Church, 700 Anderson Street, College Station, Texas. The church requests that any flowers for her service be delivered between noon and 2:00pm that day.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to White Sulphur Springs, a ministry of Officers Christian Fellowship to military members and their families. Donations can be made at the link below or by mailing them to White Sulphur Springs, 4500 Milligans Cove Road, Manns Choice, PA 15550. White Sulphur Springs Donation Page