Funeral service for SGM (Retired) Jesse W. Graves, 78, Lawton, will be 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 2, 2014, in the First United Methodist Church with Rev. Al Potts, Pastor officiating. Sergeant Major Graves died Saturday, June 28, 2014, in Lawton. Burial with full military honors will be in Highland Cemetery under the direction of the Becker-Rabon Funeral Home. The family will greet friends from 6-8 pm Tuesday at the funeral home. He was born March 14, 1936 at Grand Junction, Tennessee. He married Shirley Rathsack on April 21, 1970 in Lawton. He grew up in Tennessee and entered the U.S. Army at a young age. He served three tours of duty in Vietnam and retired at Fort Sill on August 24, 1979. His awards include the Army of Occupation Medal (Germany), National Defense Service Medal with First Oak Leaf Cluster, Good Conduct Medal Sixth Award, Vietnam Service Medal with Seven Service Stars, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm, Bronze Star Medal with First Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Commendation Medal with Second Oak Leaf Cluster, Four Overseas Service Bars, Expert (rifle M-16) and the Republic of Vietnam Staff Service Medal. Following his retirement from the Army he worked for Ramon John as a landscaper supervisor and served eight years on the Highland Cemetery Board for the City of Lawton. He attended the First United Methodist Church and served as a volunteer at the Fort Sill Game Farm. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and gardening. He is survived by his wife, of the home; a daughter and son in law, Connie L. and Gary Coleman, Virginia Beach, Virginia; three grandchildren and their spouses, Anthony W. and Kelly Rush, Michael S. and Yvette Rush and Jennifer L. and Chris Hatch; seven great grandchildren and one soon to be born great granddaughter; two brothers, Edward and Danny Graves; two sisters, Sara Kelley and Geneva Rodgers; special friends, Stephan and Carolyn Ellis, Lawton. His parents, a son, Steven L. Rathsack, brothers, Robert, Thomas and Jerry, and sisters, Adeline and Martha, preceded him in death. Memorial contributions may be made to the Leah M. Fitch Cancer Center of Southwest Oklahoma, 104 NW 31st St Lawton, OK 73505.