Carol Jean Graves

Carol Jean Graves passed away peacefully surrounded by her children and grandchildren on Monday, April 10, 2023 after a long battle with breast cancer.

Carol was born on April 15, 1957 to Bill and Peggy Graves in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She was the second of three children. Her siblings are Katy and Westy Graves. Her special cousin and friend was Lynn (Graves) Kristensen. Carol grew up in Bloomington, Minnesota. She graduated from Lincoln High school in 1975.

Carol enjoyed attending concerts and worked as a waitress at Perkins as a teenager. Her best friends during those years were Pat (Barber) McMinn and Kathy (Stack) Dunham. The three of them were huge hockey fans, especially the North Stars. Carol baked cakes and brought them to the players. A couple years ago she ran into Lou Nannie who still remembered her from those days. She was also a Minnesota Twins fan.

Carol bled purple and gold as The Best Minnesota Vikings Fan West of the Mississippi. For many years she and her daughter Amanda attended Vikings training camp where they became friends with some of the Vikings players. She enjoyed going to football games and yelling at the TV for her Vikings.

After high school Carol visited friends that moved to Idaho and discovered how much she loved the mountains, specifically, the Tetons and the Yellowstone Park area. She decided to save up some money, start a new life, and move out to Pocatello, Idaho.

Carol worked as a waitress at Sea Galley in Pocatello and met the love of her life Randy Anderson. They dated for a couple years and were married on November 17, 1981. Carol and Randy had their first son, Bob Anderson on June 6, 1982. Another son Jacob Anderson was born March 8, 1985 and a daughter Amanda Anderson, was born on November 1, 1988.

After working as a waitress for many years, she decided to change careers and go into health care as a CNA and home health nurse. Carol loved more than anything to help other people. She had a strong bond with each of her clients. She was especially close to her client Dawn Voyles who she assisted for many years until Dawn's death in 2021.

For the past 20 years being a grandma was the most important thing in Carol's life. She was the best grandma to granddaughters, Taryn and Madi Anderson. She was always there to spoil them with Grandma treats, and give them lots of love, help and advice.

In her spare time Carol loved to cook goodies, especially during the holiday seasons. She would give plates of cookies and other yummy food to all her family and friends. She baked cakes that were better than anything you could buy at a store. Carol also loved her fur babies (her cats), going to movies at the theater, spending time with love ones, reading, and watching streaming services. Carol could never watch Back to the Future enough.

She also loved to travel. In her life Carol went to Spain, Canada, Washington D.C., New York City, Arizona, South Dakota, Wisconsin, California, and Hawaii just to name a few.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Bill and Peggy Graves, and beloved grandparents. She is survived by her children; Bob and Brandie Anderson (son), Jake Anderson (son), and Amanda Anderson (daughter), siblings; Kathryn Graves (Sister) and Greg Pusch, and Westy Graves (brother) and Heidi Graves, grandchildren; Taryn Anderson (granddaughter), and Madison Anderson (granddaughter), nieces and nephews and grandnieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers please donate to her favorite charities Bannock Humane Society in Pocatello, Idaho, or the American Cancer Society.

A Celebration of Life will be held Tuesday, April 18th at 4PM in the Cornelison Funeral Home, 431 N. 15th Ave., Pocatello. Family will receive friends one hour prior to services. A private interment will take place at the Restlawn Memorial Gardens.

Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.cornelisonfh.com
208-232-0542

 

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