Janet Ellen "Burk" Graves

Janet Ellen (Burk) Graves, 75, of Wichita Falls, passed away on Sunday, July 20, 2025. The family will receive friends at a visitation from 6:00 until 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 29th at Lunn's. Funeral services will be at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 30th in Lunn's Chapel with Reggie Coe officiating. Interment will follow at Rosemont Cemetery under the direction of Lunn's Colonial Funeral Home. A daughter of the late Betty Louise (Kidd) and Marvin Clyde Burk, Janet was born on September 21, 1949, in Parsons, Kansas. While in high school, Janet was a member of Sooner Saddlers and pulled her horse Apache in her own trailer to parades that they rode in. She loved riding Apache and Penny, the next horse Janet acquired after Apache died. In 1967, Janet graduated from College High School in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Following graduation, Jan enrolled in Oklahoma State University in the fall. It was there she met Eddie Graves. They were married on May 24, 1969, in Bennett Memorial Chapel on the OSU campus. The couple then moved to Palm Beach Shores, Florida, where Eddie took a job as a mathematician in the Department of Analytical Design at the Florida Research and Development Center for the Pratt and Whitney Aircraft Company. Jan continued her education by taking history, art and mathematics courses at Palm Beach Junior College, while working as the bookkeeper for Pan America Tire Company. After major cancer surgery in November of 1972, Jan and Eddie resigned their jobs in September of 1973, and moved back to Oklahoma to again enroll at OSU, where Jan earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics in January of 1977. Jan and Eddie moved to Wichita Falls, Texas, where Jan found employment as a Programmer and Systems Analyst at the PPG glass plant north of Wichita Falls, beginning in early 1977 and retiring in 2008. While living in Wichita Falls, Jan loved reading, going to movies, and gardening, with pink coral rose being her favorite flower. She and Eddie enjoyed performances at The Backdoor Theater and were season ticket holders of the Wichita Falls Symphony Orchestra for a number of years. Jan volunteered for Meals on Wheels and the Wichita Adult Literacy Council, where she used her computer skills for WALC projects. She loved dogs and fondly remembered Daisy, Danny, April and Pebbles, as well as Rusty, the beautiful, mischievous orange and white cat. Jan left Jazzy, a smart, beautiful 21 pound Corgi to be cared for by Robert and Eddie. The last six years of Jan's life showed a continuation and intensification of her health problems that included one more major back surgery making a total of three since 2005. She was in and out of hospitals and rehabilitation centers for treatment of complications of Type 1 diabetes she'd had since she was eleven years old. Jan battled her health problems courageously, positively and without complaint throughout her life. Her courage and strength served to inspire all who knew her well. Janet was preceded in death by her parents, Betty and Marvin Burk. She is survived by her husband, Eddie L. Graves; and her son, Robert Edward Graves, both of Wichita Falls; her brother, Thomas C. Burk and his wife Sue of Tulsa, OK; and her nephews, Thomas C. Burk Jr. and wife Dana of Caney, KS; and William C. Burk and wife Krashanda of Melborne, FL. For those desiring, memorial contributions may be sent to the American Diabetes Association, the American Cancer Society or the Alzheimer's Association.