LaMoyne Leona Graves was born to Floyd and Mable Johnson on May 6, 1926 and grew up on a ranch north of Burwell along with her sister Fauniel and brother Byron.
Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 6, 2019 at the First Congregational Church in Burwell, Nebraska. Burial will be in Cottonwood Cemetery in Burwell. Pastor Alan Petersen and Pastor Dave Busch will officiate. Visitation will be Friday from 5 -7 p.m. at Hitchcock Funeral Home in Burwell. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Convoy Of Hope Relief.
As a child one of her greatest loves was attending Gold Standard Elementary School. She graduated from Burwell High School at age 16, then completed teachers’ training and began teaching in rural schools in Garfield County. She met Francis Graves at the Ballagh Sunday School. As they grew to know each other, they fell in love and married in 1945. After Francis finished his military service, they started ranching north of Burwell. They worked closely together until Francis died in 1991. She continued managing the ranch as long as her health permitted.
LaMoyne and Francis were blessed with a daughter Fran and son Max who were the focus of their love and devotion.
She inherited a piano at the age of four which led to a love of music that lasted her entire life. She thoroughly enjoyed playing and singing with her students and played the piano for school programs as well.
Her love for music extended to her church ministries and was an expression of her love and dedication to God. She started playing the piano for church at age 16 and played the piano or organ for the majority of the remainder of her life as needed.
In addition to her own church she also served the community by playing for many Nursing Home Services as well as for funerals and weddings.
She also led church and school choirs.
Her family has cherished memories of gathering around the piano and singing together at home.
She also expressed her love for God by her active involvement in The Burwell Assemblies of God Church. She taught Sunday School, led children’s church, directed Christmas and Easter programs and occasionally preached when needed. She and Francis enjoyed inviting and bringing people to church.
Her love for learning continued throughout her life. For example, she completed The Berean Correspondence School of The Bible of The Assemblies of God which certified her for a Christian Workers License. And she continued to dedicate herself to the study of the Bible all of her life.
She felt a call on her life for missions. She fulfilled that call by teaching at Vacation Bible Schools to remote villages accessible only by plane in Alaska for seven consecutive summers.
LaMoyne is proceeded in death by her parents, husband Francis, brothers Byron and Bayard and sister Fauniel.
She is survived by one sister-in-law Mary Ellen Johnson, daughter Fran, her husband Lon, son Max and his wife Julie, four grandchildren, seven great grandchildren and many nephews and nieces.
She will be greatly missed by her family and friends.
