648 Main Street
Shrewsbury, MA 01545
Phone: 508-845-6226
Fax: 508-842-0061
Francis Graves Francis Graves
In Memory of
Francis A. "Frank"
Graves
1933 - 2019
Memorial Candle Tribute From
Britton Funeral Homes, Inc.
"We are honored to provide this Book of Memories to the family."
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Obituary for Francis A. "Frank" Graves

Francis A. "Frank"  Graves
AUBURN, MA- It is with heavy hearts the family of Frank Graves, our patriarch, share the news of his passing.

Frank enjoyed an amazing life which he shared with Sally, his loving wife of 67 years. Together they created a tight-knit family consisting of 8 children, 12 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren. The roster reads like the census of a small town: Son, Jeff (1952-1979) and his wife, Debbie Pranitis. Son, Glenn, and his wife, Karin, their children Chris and his wife, Cindy; Randi and her husband, Jack; Katie and her boyfriend, Steve. Son, Dave, and his wife, Kim; their children, DJ, and his girlfriend, Stephanie, and children, Keziah, Anessa, and Elliemae; Danielle and her husband, Tyler, and their children, Trey and Summer. Son, Fran and his wife, Deb, their children, Kelly, and her husband, Paul; Corey and his wife, Rachel; Casey and her boyfriend, Bryan. Son, Bob and his wife, Kaye; their children, Derek, and his fiancée, Raven; Isaac and his fiancée, Ola. Son, George (1963-1970). Daughter, Sally, and her husband, Todd Levesque. Son, John and his wife, Amy; their children Mallory and Abbey. Sister, Shirley Perron, predeceased him. Brother, Donald, and his wife, Mona, and many nieces, nephews, and extended family.

Frank served in the United States Coast Guard from 1952-1956 during the Korean War. He worked as a Service Engineer for IBM for 27 years—not because he loved it but to put food on the table for his family. He continued to toil and provide long after his retirement, working for his brother Don’s engineering company and his sons Fran and Dave in their construction businesses. His full-time job was sharing his love, skill, knowledge, and wisdom while building opportunities for his family over the course of his entire lifetime.

Frank had many close lifelong friends including Dick and Gloria Tobin, Dick and Leona Robertson, Pat and Paul Flury, Conway and Linda Dodge, and Dennis Murphy—all who remain influential in the lives of his family. Frank’s best friend, John Palmer, passed away last August. John and his wife, Joan, and their family have remained unwavering fixtures in the Graves family. Both clans shared many vacations on Cape Cod, and our dads spent a lifetime pranking each other. We expect this family pranking tradition to continue through the generations.

The family would like to thank Dr. Kevin Delacey, the members of UMass Medical, Life Care Center of Auburn, and Beacon Hospice for their kindness and endless support throughout this difficult and trying time.

All are invited to bring some smiles and share in a celebration of Frank’s life at Britton-Wallace Funeral Home, 91 Central Street, Auburn, MA on Tuesday, October 8th, from 3:00-7:00 p.m. followed by a funeral mass to be celebrated on Wednesday, October 9th at 11 a.m. at North American Martyrs, 8 Wyoma Drive, Auburn, MA. In lieu of flowers or donations, Frank’s family request you invest in the meaningful relationships in your life: a family dinner, a movie night out, or a phone call to someone you lost touch with, to help build your own book of memories and shared experiences for the times of joy and the moments of hardship, struggle, and loss.