Roll Call Tribute

John Allen Graves 

July 30, 1937 - May 26, 2025 

John Allen GRAVES, age 87, of Round Rock, Texas passed away on Monday, May 26, 2025. John was born on July 30, 1937 in Beaumont, TX.

Growing up, John traveled with his parents, Marcella and Francis, while his Dad, served in the Army during WWII. They were stationed in Washington, Virginia and California before settling in Beaumont, Texas after the war. As a young man, he graduated from South Park High School in 1955, attended Texas A&M for a couple of years before graduating Lamar University in 1961, with a BS in Chemical Engineering. He married the love of his life Laura Lockhart Graves on July 1, 1960, before moving to Waskom, Texas to work for Arkansas Louisiana Gas Company. While working for Arkansas Louisiana Gas Company, he worked towards his masters degree at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana. They were blessed with four children, Kimberly, Rene’, Allen and Leann.

John had a long career with multiple companies, including Jefferson Chemical, Foxboro, Microsystems Engineering Corp (MEC), Powell Industries, and Pavilion Technologies. John utilized his knowledge and expertise in international marketing and sales, analytical software solutions, process and operations engineering, and computer applications engineering, primarily in the petrochemical and manufacturing industries. During his time at Foxboro, he was awarded the “Top Gun” award in 1979 for gaining the largest single order in Foxboro history from a new Portuguese chemical refinery. John held several executive management positions during his career and served as a member of the Board of Regents at Texas Chiropractic College in Pasadena, Texas.

John was also an athlete and had a passion for roller hockey. He was a member of the first team, representing the United States, at the 1968 World Roller Hockey meet in Portugal. He was an avid tennis and golf player; even in his 70s he was a scratch golfer. He enjoyed astronomy, traveling and spending time with his family. He once stayed up all night with his granddaughter Elizabeth to help her take pictures of a lunar eclipse with his telescope for a science project. He enjoyed “dragging” his kids to every museum and historical destination between Texas and where ever the trip would take them. He was also proud of his granddaughter Cassandra, who was an Army Blackhawk Helicopter Crew Chief. He was there, supporting all his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren for every ball game, swim team, dance recitals, choir or band concert, cheering them on and providing his support. John was a life time member of the Methodist Church and for the past 30 years John enjoyed meeting and greeting Sunday worshipers and served as the Usher team leader at the First United Methodist Church of Round Rock, Texas.

John is survived by his wife Laura; children: Kimberly and Robert Reynolds; Rene’ Graves; grand children: Cassandra Waid; Elizabeth and Christopher Garner; great grandchildren: Lena and Scarlett Garner; sister-in-law: Kaye Graves; nephews: Matthew Graves, Steven Graves and Jon and Cindy Graves; great nieces: Olivia and Amelia Graves. John was preceded in death by his parents: Marcella and Francis Graves; his brother, James Ellis Graves; his children, Sabrina Leann Graves Burke, and J. Allen Graves II.

A memorial service will be held at First United Methodist Church, 1004 N. Mays St., Round Rock, Texas on Saturday, June 28, 2025.