Stanley James Graham

Aztec
Stanley James Graham
August 10, 1916 - February 15, 2017

Stanley James Graham, 100, died Tuesday, February 15, 2017 at Good Samaritan Society - Four Corners Village, Aztec, NM. Born August 10, 1916, in Rock Springs, Wyoming to James Graham - the son of Scottish immigrants - and Pearl (Finch) Graham - who was part Shoshone. Stan was the eldest of eleven children, eight of the children survived to adulthood. Stan grew up on a ranch 65 miles south of Rock Springs. He graduated from Rock Springs High School in 1935. Stan left the ranch and went to work as a pumper in the natural gas and oil fields for Mountain Fuel Supply. He worked for Mountain Fuel until his retirement except for the five years he served in the Army in World War II. He returned to Mountain Fuel after the war and retired at the age of 55. Stan and his younger brother Joe saw that war was inevitable, so they enlisted in April, 1941 in the 115th Cavalry. He was honorably discharged in 1946 at the rank of Staff Sergeant. Stan was very proud of his military service and often said, "I marched with the most formidable fighting force the world has ever known". In 1947 Stan married La Veda May McIlvain, a Kansas farm girl who had come to Rock Springs working for the Weather Bureau. They raised six children born between 1948 and 1961, living in oil camps by the names of Powder Wash, Hiawatha and Church Buttes. When Stan retired in 1971 he moved his family to Kansas and worked for Cessna Aircraft. In 1975 he moved his family to Bloomfield, New Mexico and returned to working in the oil field. From the ages of 70-83 he worked as a school custodian for Bloomfield Schools. Stan was a long time member of First Baptist Church, Bloomfield. He was a charter member of the Three Rivers Chapter, National Society Sons of the American Revolution. His hobbies were storytelling, hunting, braiding and gun collecting. When Stan was 49 years old he accepted Jesus as his savior and became a man of prayer. When his life ended at the age of 100 years and 6 months, after his memory and storytelling faded away, the prayer part of him remained. Stan was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, La Veda May McIlvain, two grandsons, Waylan Graham and Morgan Bassett, son in law Kenny Turner. Parents James and Pearl (Finch) Graham, brothers Joseph, Thomas and Raymond Graham, sisters Mary (Graham) Lyndsey and Hazel Graham. Stan is survived by his six children: Lonia Turner of Bloomfield, NM, Mac Graham (Louise) of West Yellowstone, MT, Shelloa Ortiz (Jim) of Commack, NY, Mark Graham of Mansfield, TX, Kayla Bassett (Bob) of Farmington, NM and Zadeea Harris (David) of Aztec, NM. Stan is also survived by two sisters, Ruth Anderson, Rock Springs, WY and Frances Taylor (Allen) of Riverton, WY, twelve grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren. Iron Man Stan, you were loved by everyone who met you. You kept us all entertained with your story telling, your knowledge of history and your love of babies. Funeral services will be at 1:00 pm Friday 24, 2017 at Cope Memorial Chapel, 405 S. Main Ave., Aztec, NM, 505-334-9332, immediately following a graveside service will be held at Memory Gardens 6917 E. Main St., Farmington, NM. In lieu of flowers, memorials/donations may be made to: Disabled American Veterans - www.dav.org/ways-to-give/ Stan's care is entrusted to Cope Memorial Chapel of Aztec, 405 S. Main Ave., Aztec, NM (505)334-9332. Those who wish to express their condolences may do so at www.serenityandcompany.com