Janice Angelynne (Hord) Graves, the daughter of Finus Martin (F. M.), and Gladys (Mishler) Hord, was born July 17, 1939, on a farm outside of Altamont, Missouri. She lived on the farm and in Tarkio, Missouri during her childhood. Janice enjoyed her high school years in Flagstaff, Arizona and graduated from Choctawhatchee High, Fort Walton Beach, Florida in 1957.

Janice was employed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida from 1957 to 1961, Tarkio College 1961 to 1963 and the Tarkio Avalanche from 1988 to 1989.

On December 27, 1962, Janice was united in marriage to Samuel Bruce Graves, Sr. at the Tarkio Presbyterian Church in Tarkio. They made their home east of Tarkio and were blessed with four children, Sam, Jr., Todd, Trisha and Danny.

With her entrepreneurial spirit, she helped launch “The Gifted Cook,” a gourmet cooking store in St. Joseph, Missouri, and “Noggin Noodle” an educational toy store in Kansas City, Missouri, and was involved in the family farm operation. Janice enjoyed her monthly Bridge Club, Supper Club and bowling league. She loved summertime family vacations, the Christmas season, Bible Study, antiquing and her family and friends. Janice was baptized in the Christian faith at the age of nine and was a member of First Baptist Church of Tarkio. Janice passed away March 5, 2011, at her home in Tarkio surrounded by her family, at the age of 71 years.

Janice was preceded in death by her parents. Survivors include her husband, Bruce, Tarkio; children, U.S. Congressman Sam Graves and his wife Lesley, Tarkio, Todd Graves and his wife Tracy, Platte County, Missouri, Trisha Johnson and her husband Jeremy, St. Joseph, and Danny Graves and his wife Rachel, Tarkio; thirteen grandchildren, Megan Graves, Trey Graves, Elizabeth Johnson, Max Graves, Emily Graves, Katherine Johnson, Katie Graves, Hank Graves, Lily Graves, Joe Graves, Gabe Johnson, Ben Graves, and Bo Graves; three sisters, Phyllis Woolsey, Niceville, Florida, Beverly Campbell, Camden, Alabama, Patricia Zortman, Fairhope, Alabama; sister-in-law Sandra Karns Roberts, Albuquerque, New Mexico; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral Service: 10:00 A.M., Wednesday, March 9, 2011, First Baptist Church, Tarkio.
Interment: Home Cemetery, Tarkio.
Visitation: Open visitation will be held at First Baptist Church, Tarkio, beginning at 10:00 A.M., Tuesday, March 8, 2011, where the family will receive friends that evening from 7:00 – 9:00 P.M.
Memorials: Northland Lutheran School Assn. (NLSA),
P.O. Box 28308, Kansas City, Missouri 64188,
First Baptist Church, Tarkio,
Tarkio United Methodist Church,
St. Joseph Cathedral School,
519 N. 10th Street, St. Joseph, Missouri 64501
Online obituaries and condolences at www.minterfuneralchapels.com
Services: Davis Funeral Home, Tarkio, Missouri.