Mary Agnes Graves, 83, of Clements, Maryland, passed away on January 1, 2024, at the residence of her daughter in Grampton. She was born on December 9, 1940, in Leonardtown, Maryland to the late Harry Victory Pilkerton Sr. and Mary Marguerite Quade. She was the loving wife of the late John Edwin “Eddie” Graves, whom she married on July 12, 1958, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Bushwood, Maryland and who preceded her in death on November 6, 2001.
She was preceded in death by her daughter, Donna Lynn Russell (Andy) and her granddaughter, Theresa Darlene Russell Bradley. She was also preceded in death by her siblings, Daryl Pilkerton Sr., Vivian Pilkerton, Rachel Quade, Catherine “Kitty” Huntington, and Harry “Bubba” Pilkerton Jr.
Mary Agnes is survived by her daughter Melinda Lee Lyon and her husband Ronnie Lyon, as well as her grandchildren, Amber Lyon Ripple (Lewis), Kristen Russell Young (Jeff), and John Adam Lyon. She is also survived by her great-grandchildren, Leighna Bradley, Shayne Morse, Skylar Morse, Vivian Ripple, Waverly Ripple, and her siblings, Phyllis Gray (David) and June Dalrymple (Ronnie).
Mary Agnes was raised in “Sugar Hole”, near Oakley, where she made countless meaningful memories with her parents, siblings, and friends. She enjoyed reminiscing about her early years, including the quality time spent with her father at Triangle Garage. She attended Holy Angels Sacred Heart School and was a parishioner of Sacred Heart Church. After marrying Eddie, they moved to Newburg where they had two daughters and were tenant farmers for the Simms family on the farm known as “Ditchley”. In 1971, they purchased the farm in Clements known as “Saint Dougherty’s”, where they raised tobacco. Mary Agnes worked side by side with Eddie in his work as a tobacco farmer and waterman. She later worked for and retired from the Minitec Corporation in Hollywood. After Eddie’s passing, Mary Agnes savored time with her family. She enjoyed cooking, listening to music, attending dances and events at the Senior Centers. She spent her final years frequenting dances and valuing companionship with her dear friend, Jerome Hammett, of Compton.
The family would like to express their sincere appreciation for the care and kindness provided to Mary Agnes, for the past 4 years, by all the staff at the Fresenius Kidney Center, Leonardtown, MD. They truly treated her like family.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday, January 16, 2024 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. with prayers at 7:00 p.m., at Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., 22955 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, MD 20650. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Rev. Kevin Fields on Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at 10:00 a.m., at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 23080 Maddox Road, Bushwood, MD 20618. Interment will follow in the church cemetery at 11:00 a.m.
Pallbearers will be Adam Lyon, Shayne Morse, Skylar Morse, Ernie Graves, David Graves, and Richard Gray.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation, P.O. Box 871847, Kansas City, MO 64187 or the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 8th Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10001.
Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com.
Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A.
