Hubert ‘Hubie’ Graves Jr., 84, of Indian River County, passed away on July 17, 2015, surrounded by his family.
He is survived by his mother Beverly Michael Graves; daughters Janie Graves Hoover, Alice Julia (Judy) Graves, Jeane Graves Bartlett (Gary Bartlett); six grandchildren, Amelia Jane Graves, Toccoa Jeane Graves, Stephen Frank Hoover, McGuire Graves Hoover, Cara Sloan Bartlett and Keith Hubert Ketchens.
He was predeceased by his wife Jeane Sloan Graves, his father James Hubert Graves, and his sister Gretchen Graves.
Graves was a native of Indian River County. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts and was a graduate of Vero Beach High School Class of 1949.
He served in the United States Navy and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture from the University of Florida.
He descended from a long line of agriculturists and was a business leader in the citrus industry as a grower, harvester and packer. As a farmer, Graves would race the sun up every morning, a fact never lost on his family, as he would make sure they woke up as well. A man of simple taste, he enjoyed lunch with friends almost every weekday at Fat Boys for more than 30 years.
During his career he was associated with Gulf & Western, Indian River Exchange Packers, Graves Brothers and Golden River Packing before starting his own companies, Hubert Graves Packing and Fruit Growers Harvest.
Graves belonged to Pi Kappa Phi, 100 Club, Crown Royal Cartel, Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Association, Treasure Coast Gator Club, and was a Life member of the University of Florida Alumni Association. He served on both the Indian River County Farm Bureau and Indian River Soil Conservation District boards.
An avid adventurer, Graves traveled to the North Pole aboard a Russian Icebreaker, raced his sailboat Aquila to Mexico and Bermuda, and went around the world on the Concorde. He spent summers teaching his children and later his grandchildren about sailing, navigation, fishing, and astronomy in the Bahamas.
As the Father of three daughters and grandfather of six grandchildren, he attended countless dance recitals, piano concerts, football games, soccer games, lacrosse games, school plays, and graduations.
Memorial gifts may be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research www.michaeljfox.org or the Indian River County 4H Foundation (IRC 4H Foundation) 1028 20th Place, Suite D, Vero Beach, FL 32960.
There will be a Celebration of Life for Hubert Graves Saturday, Aug. 22, 2015 at 10 a.m. at First United Methodist Church; 1750 20th Street, Vero Beach.
Arrangements are by Strunk Funeral Home and Crematory, Vero Beach.
A guest book is available at www.strunkfuneralhome.com.