Obituary: Jessie Audrey Graves
December 18, 1935 – September 5, 2026
September 18, 2026Jessie Audrey Graves passed peacefully at home on Saturday, September 5, 2026, surrounded by her family. Jessie was the last surviving child of Clarence and Clara (Rouse) Shatney. She was born in Eden on December 18th 1935.
Jessie Audrey Graves. 1935-2026
When she was very small, her family moved to Calais, where she grew up. She attended school in North Calais and briefly attended Spaulding High School in Barre. She moved to Wolcott with her brother, Gordon, to work for O.B. Lafount.
Jessie met her future husband, Robert Graves, while residing in Wolcott. They were married July 25, 1953, at the North Wolcott Methodist Church. The couple moved to Hardwick, where Jessie was employed at Ware Knitwear, after which Jessie stayed home to raise her sons. The young family also lived in Danville and Woodbury before moving to Waterbury to build a home of their own on the Graves family farm.
Jessie was incredibly devoted to her children and poured her time and energy into raising three sons and three daughters. Whether it was teaching them how to read, throwing a ball in the yard, teaching Sunday school, chaperoning a field trip, or welcoming all of their friends, Jessie did it with grace and dignity.
She also worked part-time at Hunger Mountain Nursery, which was owned by her nephew, Ned Davis. It was there that she learned how to make beautiful Christmas wreaths, which she continued to make for the rest of her life, especially for the Waterbury Center Community Church. Her wreaths and greenery decorated the church every advent season.
She also worked at the old Settlement Farm. Later, when her children were grown, she went to work at the Battleground Condominiums, one half of the dynamic duo housekeeping team of Jessie and Marion Kidder. After “retiring,” Jessie stayed busy with her work with the Ladies Aid Society, helping Robert maintain the cemeteries, reading wonderful novels (Nora Roberts was her favorite), cross-country skiing, jaunts around the countryside with Robert, and helping to take care of her grandchildren, whom she absolutely adored.
Jessie and Robert were married for 57 years before he passed in 2011. Words cannot fully encompass the enormity of the life she lived, and the hole that is left with her passing.
Jessie is survived by her children: Norman and wife Linda of Hyde Park, David and partner Tammy Gibbs of Waterbury Center, Randy and partner Patti Dravis-Medina of Milton, Wisconsin, Julie Johnson of Warren, Trudy and husband Kenneth Luechtefeld of Union, Missouri, Holly and husband Denis Boucher of Waterbury Center, and Adele Donaldson of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin; grandchildren Alyssa, Timothy, Destiny, Craig, Alexander, Phillip, Caroline, Annie, Tommy, Monica, Robert, Randy, Elizabeth, Samantha, Josh, Megan, Rebecca and David; great-grandchildren Isaiah, Violet, Nora, Wayland, Everett, Fred, James, Josephine, Phoebe, Arthur, Zedikhai and Katie; and many nieces and nephews.
Jessie was predeceased by her parents and her siblings: Annie Laird, Marion Lapan, Viola Berry, Harry “Bill” Shatney, Frank Shatney, Addie Colbeth, Betty Blanchard, Sherman Shatney, Raymond Shatney, Harland Shatney, Gordon Shatney, and Alma Bradley.
A special thank you to Emily and the staff of Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice, who did an amazing job taking care of our mother.
A private burial was held at the Maple Street Cemetery in Waterbury. A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice.