Barbara E. Graves

Barbara Elaine Campbell Graves was the first born to the late William and late Ethel Mae Campbell on April 24, 1946 at Kings County Hospital, Brooklyn, N.Y. She transitioned this life on Saturday August 28, 2021 at home with her faithful, caregiver husband, Billy and her devoted sister-in-love, Irean Stovall.

She was a graduate of the New York City Public school system. She was placed in accelerated classes, which allowed her to skip the 8th grade at Col. David Marcus J.H.S. 263. Her academic prowess continued, and she graduated from Prospect Heights H.S at age 16. She immediately applied and was accepted into the Kings County Hospital Center School of Nursing. Upon completion of her studies and successfully passing the National Board and State Board of Nursing exams, she received her license as a Registered Nurse at age 18.

Barbara began her nursing career at the hospital of her birth, until she pursued broader opportunities. She entered the business world, joining IBM as a Managing Nurse. She continued flourishing in her IBM administrative career at various locations including Owego, NY, Mechanicsburg, PA, Kingston, NY, & culminating in Poughkeepsie, NY over a 40-year period. She received numerous awards, citations, and accolades for her effective contributions on the job and in the communities she was committed to improving.
Barbara was always a woman of her word. She proved to be a loving, caring mother, grandmother, wife, sister, sister-in-love, aunt, cousin, and friend. Her dignity, gentleness, and true service to others will be cherished through memories that are indelibly etched into the hearts of family and friends who will always love her.

Barbara lives on in the hearts of her beloved husband, Bill Graves, and sister-in-love Irean Stovall. Their shared dedication, devotion, and diligence as caregivers facilitated, for Barbara, a better quality of life for 22 years. Those years spanned well beyond the expectations expressed at the onset of her debilitating sickness. Barbara is also survived by her three sons, Stanley Robert Tillman of Concord, NH; James Earl Graves of Kingston, NY; Jeffrey Allen Graves of St. Louis, MO; one daughter Leah Michelle Costantino of St. Louis, MO; one daughter-in-law Angela Graves and one son-in-law Steve Costantino. Fondest memories will be cherished by her grandchildren Samantha Jean and Cameron Tillman of Concord, NH; Sarah, Shawn, and Samuel Noah Graves of St. Louis, MO; and Sophia Costantino of St. Louis, MO.

Barbara will be forever treasured and missed by her sister, Brenda Haskell and brother-in-law, Thomas Delaney Haskell of Charlotte, NC, and her brother, William Campbell of Belle Harbor, NY. She will always hold a sacred place in the hearts of her three brothers-in-law, Gregory Graves of Grand Rapids, MI; Ray Charles Graves of Erie, PA; Michael Graves of Laurel, MS; two sisters-in-law Leslie Graves of Atlanta, GA; and Marlene Thompson of Harrisburg, PA. Last, but not least, Barbara is survived by a host of loving nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives, and friends who will all have precious memories as keepsakes of this beautiful woman...a woman esteemed by all who knew her.