Marlene Graves

Marlene Graves, 81, of Muscatine passed away on Saturday, May 28, 2022, at her home following a courageous battle with cancer.

Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 2, 2022, at St. Mary & Mathias Catholic Church and will be officiated by Father Chris Weber.

Visitation will be from 4 until 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 1st, at the Ralph J. Wittich-Riley-Freers Funeral Home. Online condolences may be made at www.wittichfuneralhome.com

In lieu of flowers, her family urges you to please consider a memorial donation to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library https://donate.imaginationlibrary.com/?_ga=2.95475416.511688363.1653811980-46574616.1653811980 or the MCSA domestic violence shelter https://mcsaiowa.harnessapp.com/wv2/donate

Marlene was born on January 20, 1941, in Chicago, IL the daughter of Michael and Betty Bober.

She was a 1959 graduate of Our Lady of Lourdes High School. On November 27th, 1965 Marlene was united in marriage to Thomas Graves.

Marlene enjoyed a nearly 20 year career in retail management, but her greatest passion was for the charitable children’s literacy foundation she created, Tree of Knowledge. Her 15 years of service in both Iowa and Illinois communities resulted in more than 20,000 books given to thousands of area children and to dozens of local preschools. Marlene was also a member and former president of Beta Sigma Phi International service sorority, enjoyed water aerobics with friends at the YMCA and was a lifelong fan of Chicago Blackhawks hockey.

Marlene will be deeply missed by her husband, Thomas Graves of Muscatine; her children, Joel Graves of Muscatine, and Todd Beightler-Graves and husband, Dan, of Hertford, NC; and her beloved grandchildren, Alexis, Veronika, and Drew Graves all of Iowa City.

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