Wayne William Graves

Wayne William Graves, Sr., 71 years old, passed away on January 21, 2023, in St. James, Minnesota.

Wayne was born on August 28, 1951 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to parents Roy and Jane Graves.

Wayne attended Kellogg High School in Roseville, MN, graduating class of 1969, and was voted best athlete for gymnastics and football.  He was known for doing backflips in the end zone after a scoring a touchdown and then getting down on one knee to pray.  As a gymnast, he went to the State Meet in 1969 to compete on trampoline.  Wayne was also known for having a larger-than-life personality and being the loudest voice in the room.  After high school he enrolled in the Air Force Academy Football Program, but unfortunately was injured in the first year and was medically discharged.   He was able to transfer to Augsburg to play football and after a successful run he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002 as one of the top running backs in Augsburg’s history.  He held the school record for career carries and is second all-time in rushing yardage (Link to article).  After college football, he decided to join his father in the steel industry as an Iron Worker in the 1980s.  The adrenaline rush of walking on steel beams 200-500 feet up in the sky as the high rises were being built in the Twins Cities was similar to the rush he got performing as a gymnast or football player.  During Wayne’s apprenticeship as an Iron Worker, he got married and had 2 children (Leah and Wayne Jr.) and found his love for fishing and hunting.  Wayne Sr. passed along his hunting and fishing passion to son, Wayne Jr.  You knew you could always find Wayne fishing on White Bear Lake or with his son finding the best goose, duck, or pheasant hunting spot.  A highlight for Wayne Sr. and Jr., is that they were able to go pheasant hunting 2 months before he passed away.

Wayne was a proud son, brother, father, and grandfather.   Whatever Wayne did in life, he did it with his whole heart.  People either knew of him or knew his loud voice and didn’t forget him.  He was known as “Loud Grandpa” to his grandchildren.  He loved football, animals (especially hunting dogs), his children, and grandchildren.  He was great at telling stories around fishing, hunting, and his glory days as a gymnast and football player.  Unfortunately, his health took a hard turn in January 2023 due to cancer and organ failure. We are heartbroken by his loss and will remember him by his ability to always remind us that every day we are alive is a gift and to live a life focused on what we are passionate about.

He is survived by his two children Wayne Graves, Jr. and Leah McGillis (Zach), sister Jackie Healy (husband John Sr., children Bridget Healy, John Healy Jr., and Jane Berry), sister Susan Clough (children Jason Niemeic, Molly Murphy, and Kassandra Fronk), sister Sandy Dorf (husband Ron Sr., children Ron Dorf Jr., Kevin Dorf, and Lisa LaBelle), sister Barb Halko’s children (Terri Walsh, Traci Miller), sister Joanne Graves’ children (Brandi Roberts, Nicole Lind) and two grandchildren Keira and Brody McGillis.

He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters Joanne Graves and Barb Halko, in addition to his nephew Thomas Walsh.