William Ernest "Billy" Graves

July 15, 1941 - October 7, 2019

William Ernest “Billy” Graves, 78, passed away October 7, 2019. Visitation will be 10am-11am Friday at Bear Creek Methodist Protestant Church, Utica, MS. Service will be 11am Friday at Bear Creek Methodist Protestant Church with burial at Bear Creek Cemetery. Stringer Family Funeral Services in Crystal Springs is handling arrangements. Mr. Graves was a member of First United Methodist Church and Inquirer’s Sunday School Class. He graduated from Millsaps College and Memphis State University, with additional hours and research from Louisiana State University. He retired from Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. He was preceded in death by his father, Will Ernest Graves, and mother, Merle Bryant Graves Moore. He is survived by his wife, Kay Hollingsworth Graves; sons, Bryant Hollingsworth Graves (Missy T. Graves) of Baton Rouge, LA, William Ernest Graves, Jr., of Houston, TX, Philip Samuel Graves (Jill N. Graves) of Denham Springs, LA, Tolbert Buie Graves of Denham Springs, LA, David Burnham Graves (Melissa M. Graves) of Locust Fork, AL; brother, Terry B. Moore of Crystal Springs; sister, Sylvia G. Smith of Hattiesburg; and grandchildren, Tyler William Graves, Garrett Christopher Graves, Georgia Claire Graves, Alivia Parker Graves, Kameron Ester Graves, and Samuel Archer Graves. Memorials may be made to Bear Creek Cemetery Association, c/o Inza Calloway, 10937 Tank Road, Crystal Springs, MS 39059.