Jean Saint Graves

Jean Elizabeth Saint Graves, 92, passed away on June 11, 2024, in Arlington, Texas.

Jean was born on July 14, 1931 in Hammond, Louisiana, to James T. Saint, Sr. and Francis Lee Jones.

Jean graduated from Ponchatoula High School in 1948 where she played clarinet in the marching band. She attended Southeastern Louisiana State University and obtained her nursing degree from Charity Hospital School of Nursing in New Orleans in 1953. She began her nursing career at Freeport Nickel Company, where she met her future husband, James Edward Graves. They married on October 24, 1953 in Ponchatoula, Louisiana. Jean and Jim raised their family primarily in Metairie, Louisiana, although they also lived in Houma and Algiers, Louisiana, Norfolk, Virginia, Jakarta, Indonesia, Spring and Hide-Away, Texas. They were married for 62 years before Jim’s passing in 2015.

Jean returned to school and received her Bachelor’s of Science in Education with a specialty in E.D.L.D. from the University of New Orleans in 1974. She started her teaching career as a special education teacher at Strehle Elementary in Jefferson Parish. When Jim was transferred to Indonesia with Mobil Oil in 1980, Jean taught at the Jakarta International School for 3 years before returning to the US.

After retirement, Jean and Jim made their home at Hide-A-Way Lake in Lindale, Texas, where they made dear friends. Jean and Jim enjoyed traveling, including international travel together as well as with family and friends. They enjoyed cooking and hosting parties. Jean loved playing the piano. She was an avid reader and member of several book clubs over the years. Jean enjoyed bridge, playing cards and working puzzles. She valued the friendships she maintained through these activities.

Jean was strong in her faith and was a lifelong Methodist. She attended and made many friends at St. Matthews UMC in Metairie, First UMC Church in Lindale and First UMC Arlington. She sang in the choir, was a faithful member of the United Methodist Women, and a regular attendee in Sunday School. Jean coordinated worship and singing at various nursing homes in Lindale. She worked regularly at WeCare, which benefited the Lindale Food Pantry. She belonged to the Jokers and Pegs nurses group at Hideaway and helped facilitate immunizations in the community.

Most of all, Jean was loved and treasured by her family.

She is survived by her daughter Claudia Jean Graves (Dan) Thompson of Austin, Texas, James Edward (Melanie) Graves, Jr. of Mandeville, Louisiana, John Paul (Angela) Graves of Kingwood, Texas and Timothy Perkins (Christie) Graves of Arlington, Texas; her grandchildren, Jacob James(Cassandra) Thompson, Emily Jean Thompson (Brandon) Gardner, Zachary Paul (Sarah) Graves, Abbey Christine Graves (Jonathan) Stowe, Joshua Paul Graves, Ryan James Graves and Jonathan Angelo Perkins Graves; and her great grandchildren, Asher James Graves, Rowan Timothy Graves, Daniel James Thompson, Olivia Nicole Thompson, Harrison Clay Stowe, Oliver Leon Gardner and Theodore Matthew Gardner. Jean is also survived by her sister, Alene Saint Kennedy, her brothers Chapin Oscar (June) Saint and James Trousdale Saint, Jr and many nieces and nephews, all of whom she loved greatly.

Jean is preceded in death by her parents and her husband.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, July 21, 2024 at 3 pm at First United Methodist Church of Arlington in the Vandergriff Chapel. A reception will follow in Hagler Hall.

Burial will be at Greenlawn Cemetery in Hammond, Louisiana at a later date.

Please consider donating to The Salvation Army (click here to donate now) or Heifer International (click here to donate now) in Jean’s memory.