Harold O. ""Jim"" Graves

Ware Ma---Harold O. "Jim" Graves, 91, passed away on May 23, after a brief illness. Beloved husband, father, grandfather, teacher, coach, banker, and woodworker extraordinaire, he was born on May 8, 1924 son of  Harold and Ethel Holmes Graves, in Worcester. A native  of West Boylston, he graduated from Wilbraham Academy and attended Wesleyan University. He was a US Army Veteran and Purple Heart recipient  in World War II, serving with the Combat Engineers in Northern France. He was a graduate of Clark University and received a Master's Degree in Education from Springfield College, and was also a graduate of the Brown University School of Banking. After being a teacher and coach at Wilbraham Academy and Williston Academy, he joined Ware Savings Bank in 1958. When Country Bank and Palmer Savings Bank merged in 1981, he became Executive Vice President, and then served as President until his retirement in 1986. He was a past member of the Ware Industrial Financial Authority, a long time director of Mary Lane Hospital, and of the Young Men's Library Assoc., and former Trustee of Country Bank and of the United Church of Ware. He leaves behind his wife of 64 years, Charlotte Crandall Graves, four daughters, Susan Voss and her husband Gary of Peterborough NH, Cindy Bernhardt and her husband Peter of So. Burlington VT, Martha Robertson and her husband Peter of Peru VT, and Laura Manchester and her husband Scott of Hillsdale NY, and a granddaughter Kate Bernhardt of So. Burlington VT. A Celebration of his Life will be held at 12 pm, on June 13, 2015 at the United Church of  Ware, Church St. in Ware MA. Memorial contributions may be made to Young Men's Library Assoc., 37 Main St. Ware MA 01082; Shedd Free Library, 46 No. Main St., Washington NH03280, or to Baystate Mary Lane Hospital, 85 South St. Ware Ma 01082.