Helen Marie (Ferrie) Graves of Riceville, IA passed away Monday July 3, 2023 at the Riceville Family Care and Therapy Center in Riceville.
Helen was born on September 9, 1936 in Cresco, IA to Leonard and Viola (Barthelme) Ferrie. Helen was the oldest of 10 children. She attended catholic school and graduated from Notre Dame High School in Cresco.
Helen married Robert Cameron Graves on July 18, 1959 in Cresco, IA. Helen and Robert opened a Texaco Station that later changed to B & H Standard Service Station. They operated it with their children for over 50 years. Many people will remember Helen as the “Balloon Lady”. Even after the family closed the business, Helen continued fulfilling balloon orders.
Helen stayed home to raise her family until they were all in school. Then she joined Bob at the service station doing the books, pumping gas, washing windshields and checking the oil. Helen loved to roller skate and would take one child at a time to teach them how to skate. When they could skate on their own, she would bring the next one in line.
Other hobbies Helen enjoyed were watching stock car races, fishing at Beaver Dam in Waterville MN, bowling and going to the casinos where she played the penny slot machines all day on $20.00 (always coming out ahead at the end of the day).
Survivors include three sons: Gary of McIntire, Donald of Riceville, and Richard (Suzanne) of Altoona; two daughters: Cheryl of Charles City and Valerie of Riceville; daughter-in-law Becky of Stewartville; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Surviving siblings include three brothers: Jack, Bill, and Don all of Cresco; five sisters; Marion Galvin of Protivin, Margaret Sobolik of Cresco, Mary Jo Chappell and Anne Emerson both of Marion, and Kathy Balluff of Denver CO.
Helen was preceded in death by her husband Robert “Bob” Graves (2006), her son David “Bip” Graves (2016), her parents Leonard and Viola Ferrie, a sister Norma Cutsforth, brother-in-laws Virgil Cutsforth, Don Emerson and George Sobolik.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Riceville Family Care and Therapy Center for the Shower Room Remodel Project in memory of Helen Graves.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, July 8, 2023 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Riceville. Visitation will be held one hour prior to services at the church on Saturday morning with rosary at 9:45 am. Burial will take place at Riverside Cemetery in Riceville.
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