Obituary for Deborah Graves (Lochner)
GRAVES, Deborah (“Debbie”) Lochner, 66, joined her Heavenly Father on November 12, 2022 following a brave, year-long battle with pancreatic cancer.
Born and raised in the Roanoke Valley, Debbie was a strong woman of faith whose kindness, sweet spirit, and baked goods will be greatly missed. Although she worked as a reading specialist and teacher in the Roanoke City School System for 13 years (including at Round Hill Elementary, Garden City Elementary, Hurt Park Elementary, and Westside Elementary) and taught preschool for 5 years at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, her greatest profession was being a wife and mother.
Debbie loved keeping family traditions and creating a welcoming home, and was deeply devoted to her two children (Betsy and Spencer), and college sweetheart - later husband - of 44 years, Jim. She was present for every soccer game, music recital, school function, and boy scout ceremony, and was incredibly supportive of her children’s personal and academic interests.
Debbie was always mindful of the needs of others, and would share whatever she had to uplift those in difficult circumstances. When she wasn’t helping others fulfill their dreams, Debbie actively volunteered with a range of charitable organizations promoting literacy, childhood education, and preventing hunger in the Roanoke Valley and around the world. For many years Debbie was an active member of Raleigh Court Presbyterian Church (RCPC), where she sang in the choir, played handbells, served as a Deacon, and prepared Wednesday night fellowship suppers.
Debbie continually showed her love for others through homemade meals and baked desserts, knitted gifts, handmade clothes, handwritten notes, and other endlessly thoughtful gestures. In earlier seasons of her life she was very active in a local smocking guild, and in recent years enjoyed participating in a book club with friends.
An avid reader and outdoor enthusiast, Debbie loved to go biking through winding Virginia roads with her family, kayaking and fishing on the Roanoke River, sitting outside with her chickens, and sailing and “chasing” steam trains (like the Class J611) with husband Jim. She also loved traveling with family and close friends, and will be fondly remembered for adventures from France, Holland, Italy, Turkey, and Germany, to safari in South Africa. Always a child at heart, Debbie was also a proud grandmother and loved spending time sewing outfits for, reading to, and playing with her two young grandchildren.
Debbie’s smile and deeply loving nature will be greatly missed by her husband James (Jim) Wesley Graves II, children Betsy (Fraser) Henderson and Spencer (Danielle) Graves, grandchildren Phoebe Henderson and Fraser Henderson III, brother Kevin Lochner, sister-in-law Kathy Price, beloved nieces and nephews Jennifer Price, Sarah (Scott) Hefner, Julee (Brent) Reedy, Preston Lochner, and Justin Lochner, extended Lochner family members and close friends. She is preceded in death by her parents LeRoy George Lochner and Elizabeth Ann Lochner.
A funeral service to honor Debbie’s life will be held at 2pm on Saturday, November 19th, at Oakey’s Roanoke Chapel downtown, with interment to follow at Evergreen Burial Park. The family will also hold a visitation from 5-7pm on Friday, November 18th, at Oakey’s Roanoke Chapel; all are welcome. We will be live-streaming the service for those who cannot attend. Click on the link below to view the service.