Allan Millard Graves

Allan Millard Graves, 65, of Charlotte, died at his home with his family by his side on Saturday, November 30, 2013. Allan was born in Wichita, Kansas, on November 12, 1948. After graduation from high school, he attended Wichita State University before joining a local fire department. In June of 1973, he met Ms. Susan Basinski, a young woman from Flint, Michigan, who had moved to Wichita and was working for The Cessna Corporation. They were engaged that September and eloped to Lake Tahoe in December. There, on December 15, in the laid back and youthful spirit that personified them, they were married in a small chapel by Rev. Love with the music of The Grateful Dead accompanying the service. Allan enjoyed competition, especially volleyball which both he and his wife played. Eleven years later, in 1984, they were blessed with a daughter, Amanda, whom Allan vicariously continued his sporting and competition through. Whether volleyball or golf, he was known to place supporting her before anything else in his schedule. Allan was also fond of dogs with one of his favorites being a chocolate lab named “Hogan”. When Amanda was competing in her sports, Allan bought a motorhome so that the family could not only have a room when travelling to her events, but Hogan could also travel with them. Allan was a true sports dad who also enjoyed cars, animals, and golf. One of his favorite cars was the Chevy Camaro, of which he owned a fire engine red version of during the 1980’s. After working for the fire department for several years, Allan spent the rest of his career in the commercial flooring trade. During the time they lived in Michigan near Susan’s family, he worked for numerous companies the last of which was Commercial Interior Resources. In 2007 Allan and Susan moved to Charlotte, NC, and in 2009, they opened their own business, Bizfloor Workroom. Extremely talented in the trade, Allan worked all elements of the business from architecture to engineering while Susan handled the financials. When Allan started showing signs of illness in June of 2013 and became unable to perform his duties, he and Susan were blessed by the support of the team that they had built around them and through a true team effort, final jobs were completed. Most of all, Allan loved his family and friends, and his calm, laid back demeanor and competitive tenacity will be missed by all who knew him. Allan is survived by his family in Charlotte: his wife of almost 40 years, Susan; a daughter, Amanda “Mandy” Casto and her husband, Brian. He is further survived by numerous family members on Susan’s side of the family as well as numerous friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Argus and Elizabeth “Bessie” (nee Fenimore) Graves. Allan’s family has given the privilege of serving them during this time to the family of Lowe-Neddo Funeral Home, 4715 Margaret Wallace Road, Matthews, NC 28105. A Celebration of Life Service honoring the blessing that Allan was as a husband, father, and friend will be held at 7:00 pm on Friday, December 6, 2013, in the chapel at the funeral home. Family will receive friends in the reception room at the funeral home from 4:00 pm until the time of services. To share memories, condolences, photos, and for more information, please visit Allan’s personal online tribute page at www.LoweNeddoFuneralHome.com or call 704.545.3553. In honor of Allan’s life and loves, the family respectfully requests donations in his name be made to any of the following: American Heart Association, www.heart.org American Red Cross, www.redcross.org Humane Society of Charlotte, www.humanesocietyofcharlotte.org

Allan Millard Graves

November 12, 1948 - November 30, 2013