William L Graves

William (Bill) Graves passed away on December 8, 2020 in the Doylestown Hospital, COVID Unit, at the age of 86. 

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania he was preceded in death by his wife Lillian Graves, parents Helen Brabazon and Lewis and Elizabeth Graves, his first wife Gaye Graves, son Brent Graves, sister Marilyn (Penny) Goddard, brother Robert Graves, son in law David Bell and nephew Sean Graves. Bill was also preceded in death by in laws William and Bobbi Morris and Herbert and Charlotte Krimmel. 

Bill was the beloved father of Lisa Bell of Bensalem, Leslie Farley of Langhorne and William Graves (Kathy) of Levittown. He left behind his devoted grandchildren Shane Paisley (Kelly) of Cumming, Georgia, Megan Williams (Robert) of Fayetteville, North Carolina, Jessica Froba (Christopher) of Blackwood, New Jersey, Zachary Bell of San Diego, California and Hannah Farley of Langhorne, Pennsylvania. Bill will also be greatly missed by his loving great-grandchildren Alysa and Colin Paisley, Katlyn, Karsin and Tanner Williams and Bill and Jack Froba. He was also survived by sister in law Nadia Graves of Philadelphia and brother in law James Goddard of Bensalem as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Bill began working as a teenager and was never without a job until he retired in 1997.  He often held multiple jobs at the same time. His work ethic and energy compared to none throughout all of his working life. As a young man and father he worked for the Bell Telephone Company as a lineman, owned a string of pizza restaurants (Dodos) in Northeast PA, managed food and beverage services for Lintons Restaurant, Northeast PA, Greyhound Bus Terminal, Breezewood PA, South of the Border, Dillon, South Carolina and was Vice President of Sales and Distribution for Anheuser-Busch in North and South Carolina from which he retired in 1997. 

Bill married his Frankford high school sweetheart, Lillian in 1953. They had three children and eventually parted. Bill later married Gaye and they lived in North and South Carolina for 45 years until her passing in 2009. During those years Bill enjoyed living on the intercostal waterway, traveling, golfing and tinkering with his boat. He also served as a deacon at the Seaside United Methodist Church in Brunswick County, North Carolina. Upon Gayes passing, Bill relocated to Bucks County to be close to his children. It was not long after that he and Lillian reconnected and remarried. They lived in Langhorne, PA until her passing in February 2020. Bill then became a member of the St. Mary Life Program and divided his time among his three children. 

Bill was a dedicated member of Eddington Presbyterian Church and donations, in his name, to the Bucks County Housing Group Food Pantry through the Deacons of Eddington Presbyterian, 3650 Bristol Pike, Bensalem, PA 19020 would be deeply appreciated.

The family would like to express our gratitude to the compassionate care given to Bill during his last days by Drs’ Patel and Ahmed as well as the hardworking angelic nurses of the Doylestown Hospital, COVID Unit. Thanks   also to the many nurses, doctors and staff who cared for him during the last years of his life.

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, services and celebrations of life for Bill will be scheduled at a later date.