Graig MALEY

Graig Arthur Maley passed away on July 4, 2025, at the age of 64, in Thornton, Washington. He was born on September 1, 1960, in Spokane, Washington to Robert and Sally Jo Maley.

Graig became part of the fourth Maley generation to farm the Palouse when he was just a kid. Under the watch of his grandpa, Art, father, Bob, uncle, Jerry, and uncle, Mike, Graig grew into an expert mechanic and creative repairman, liberally relying on duct tape to mend broken farm equipment and torn clothing.

Graig also followed in his family's footsteps in attending school at Rosalia. While there, Graig raised and showed sheep through the FFA and competed in baseball, basketball, and football. Graig loved sports. Until the day he died, Graig kept the basketball shoes he wore at the 1978 state tournament. That same year, Graig met his future wife, Shawnda.

In 1986, Graig and Shawnda got married. They raised a daughter and two sons on the family farm. Graig taught his wife and all three of his kids to drive a grain truck during the harvest season. Graig ran a tight ship. He disdained unnecessary chatter on the CB. This became an issue for certain members of the harvest crew (Shawnda). But Graig, ever a patient man, always welcomed back members of the crew after they quit (Shawnda).

Though he felt most at home in the solitude of the tractor and combine cab, Graig was a dedicated member of the community. He spent the rest of his waking hours coaching his kids in baseball and basketball, umpiring little league games, and serving as the chairman of the Rosalia School Board. These pursuits didn't exactly make Graig popular, but that's not why he did it. He wanted to make his community and family better.

For Graig, there was little time left over for fun, but he did love the military, war documentaries, and rock and roll. On the way to and from ballgames with his kids, Graig listened to 1970s rock. Some of his favorite memories were attending a KISS concert, the NFR, NASCAR races, and Fenway Park with his family. (He went to Disneyland too, which he liked to call "The Most Miserable Place on Earth.")

At the end of the day, Graig's greatest pleasures were candy bars, Pepsi, and Copenhagen. He did not require much. Graig wore his button up shirts, Wranglers, and cowboy boots, and drove his old Chevy pickup, several years past their useful lives. Graig spent what money he had on his children's education. Above all else, Graig was a dedicated husband, father, and provider.

Graig is survived by his wife, Shawnda Maley; his kids, Michelle Maley Myers and Chris Myers, Jim Maley, Steven Maley, and Crosby the Pomeranian; his brothers and sisters-in-law, Brad and Kris Maley, and Brian and Nicole Maley; and his nieces and nephews.

A service will be held on Saturday, July 19, 2025, at 11:00 a.m., at the Rosalia Cemetery. In lieu of flowers or donations, the family asks for prayers for rain for the crops and the Boston Red Sox. On-line condolences may be made at www.corbeillfuneralhomes.com