John Emmett Graves, age 95, of Grinnell, IA, passed away on April 8, 2026, with his family at his side. Son of John Calvin Graves and Lena (Watson) Graves, he was born in Lawson, MO on November 3, 1930. He graduated from Gower High School, Gower, MO in 1948, served in the U.S. Navy 1951-1955, and graduated from Iowa State College in 1959 with a degree in Animal Husbandry. He married Margery Ann White of Urbana, IL in 1956, his devoted wife of 70 years.

John worked as a welder, farmer, and for the Iowa Extension Service before working for the USDA Farmers Home Administration for 24 years. After retirement from FmHA, John did farm appraisals and worked as a realtor of rural properties for several years while also farming. He was a certified Iowa Appraiser and a senior member of the Americal Society of Appraisers.

John's main interests included family and friends; he especially enjoyed being a grandfather. His great love was working the family's small farm, part of which he farmed with horses. He was a member of the Retired Men's Book Club of Newton, the First Unitarian Church of Des Moines, IA, and after moving to Grinnell, IA in 2016, joined the Mayflower Writers' Group and the Mayflower Unitarian-Universalist/Quaker Fellowship.

John is survived by his wife, Margery, daughters Beth Lenz and Cheryl (Srikant) Mehta, granddaughters Sarah Mehta (Michael) and Jessica Lee (Jeff), and numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

John was preceded in death by his parents and siblings Mary Lu Graves, Jim Graves, and Martha Ann Chalupa.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 13 at 2:30 pm in the Buckley Dining Room, first floor of Buckley residence, 619 Park St, Grinnell, IA.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Mayflower Human Needs Fund, Practical Farmers of Iowa, or Oglala Lakota College. Checks may be made to the organization of your choice and sent to Smith Funeral Home, 1103 Broad St, Grinnell, IA 50112.