James Byron Graves

James B. “Buddy” Graves, 85, went home to his Lord Saturday, April 3, 2021, while at a local rehabilitation facility. Services will be 10:00 a.m., Thursday, April 8, at New Road Church of Christ with Charlie Thomason and Alan Ritchie officiating. Burial will follow at College Station Cemetery in College Station, Texas. Visitation will be 5:00 to 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 7, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home. Buddy was born December 19, 1935, in Eastland County, Texas, but moved to southern Illinois with his family when he was two years. He lived there until returning to Texas to attend Abilene Christian College, now Abilene Christian University. Graduating from that college in 1959, Buddy transitioned directly from ACU into the U.S. Army. After his discharge from the Army, he went to work for National Casket Company in Dallas, Texas. It was in Dallas that he met his wife to be, Carolyn Rhea Landiss, who had moved to Dallas to teach school there. They met at Sunday School, and she remembers him pointing out that his name was Graves and he worked for a casket company. The wholesale casket industry was his career field and while a salesman, Buddy became acquainted with funeral directors over a large part of the western United States. He worked for Texas Coffin Company, which at that time was the largest regional casket company in the world, serving in both sales and administration, and later for Batesville Casket Company. After retiring from the casket industry, he fulfilled his dream of owning his own business by establishing Crystal Clear Cleaners at the corner of Sanger Avenue and Lake Air Drive in Waco, Texas. Buddy was a faithful member of the New Road Church of Christ and served as an elder of that congregation for many years. Buddy was preceded in death by his parents, Robert Byron Graves and Alice Corine Adams Graves; and an older brother, David Ronald Graves. He is survived by his wife of 59 ½ years, Carolyn; a son, Byron Landiss Graves of Houston; a brother, Robert Brent Graves of the home; a sister, Gail Ann Segers of Houston; a brother-in-law, Bill Landiss and his wife, Janice, of Giddings; nieces, Caroline Ruth Landiss Smith and her husband, Quentin, of Santa Fe, New Mexico, Suzanne Michelle Landiss Powell and her husband, Ian, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Lydia Morgan Segers of Belton, Texas, and Chris Graves of the Dallas area; and nephews, Versie Phillip Segers of Houston, David Graves of Tennessee and Richard Graves of New Mexico. In addition, he is survived by several great nieces and nephews. Memorials may be made to the New Road Church of Christ mission funds, 3100 S. New Road, Waco TX 76706. The family invites you to leave a message or memory on our “Tribute Wall” at www.WHBfamily.com.