Maria Luisa Graves
Maria Luisa Graves, age 90, of Archer City, passed away Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 25, in Dripping Springs. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. She enjoyed fashion, arts and crafts, music, dancing, traveling, and cooking.
Private family funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 3, at Saint Martin de Porres Catholic Church in Dripping Springs with Rev. Justin Nguyen officiating. Interment followed at 2 p.m. Friday, March 5, in the Archer City Cemetery in Archer City under the direction of Auld Funeral Home. Deacon Severo Alvarado from Lubbock officiated the graveside services.
The family received friends from 12:30 p.m. until 1:30 p.m. on Friday, March 5, at Aulds Funeral Home of Archer City.
Maria was born in Edinburg, Hidalgo County, on March 6, 1930 to Martin Valdez, Sr. and Maria Cavazos Valdez.
Maria grew up in Edinburg where she attended high school and worked until 1960 when she moved to Olney with her family. She worked for Region 9 Education Service Center as a regional coordinator for mental health services until her retirement in 2000. She was an advocate for children with special needs. Additionally, she was a member of the St. Theresa Catholic Church, the Ladies Altar Society, Director of Religious Education, Director of Outreach, and a Eucharistic Minister in Olney.
She and Raymond Clifton Graves, Sr. were married April 29, 2000 in Olney. She resided in Archer City until his death on March 22, 2015. She then moved to Dripping Springs to be near family from her first marriage to Jose I. Molina who preceded her in death.
Survivors include sons Dr. Ricardo “Richard” Molina of Lubbock, Alejandro “Alex” Molina and his wife Diane of Modesto, Calif., Joe Molina, Jr., of Austin, daughter, Maria Christina Krueger of Wimberley; six grandchildren, Anjelina “Anjel” Ortiz and her husband Ray of Dripping Springs, Jacob Krueger of Georgetown, Ginger Cox, and her husband Kyle of Austin, Andrea Molina of Modesto, Calif., Matthew Molina and his wife Sara of Tracy, Calif., and Daniel Molina of Modesto, Calif.. She is survived by twelve great grandchildren.
She is also survived by stepchildren Brenda Crutcher and her husband Sammy, of Wichita Falls; R.C. Graves, Jr. and his wife Jan, and Ricky Graves and his wife Melissa, both of Archer City.
She was preceded in death by her siblings, Maria “Mary” A. Hesbrook, Ernestina “Tina” Coleman, Martin Valdez, Jr., and Joe Luis Molina, her son.
The family suggests memorials to St. Theresa Catholic Church, Oak St. and N. Avenue E., Olney, TX 76374, (940) 549-4314 or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, (800) 822-5833.
