/Z wa—/7?7 Velma May Graves Velma May Graves Longtime Shelton resident and artist Velma May Graves, who once sold a painting to a major motion picture studio, died of nat- ural causes on Christmas Eve at Fir Lane Health and Rehabilita- tion Center. She was 77 and had lived in Shelton for 55 years. She was born in September 1922 in Curlew to Daniel and M. Cleora Simpson. ‘ She was raised in Hoodsport by her mother and stepfather, Lou Millard. She married Floyd W. Graves on June 29, 1940. He preceded her in death last February. She was a local artist and teacher for more than 30 years. She taught art at the Olympic College extension for 17 years and gave private lessons for more than 30 years In 1995, one of her oil paint- ings of Mount Rainier was sold to Paramount Pictures for use in the film Black Sheep, a political comedy set in Washington which starred David Spade and the late Chris Farley. The painting sold for $300, not a dime more or less than she would have charged anybody. Mrs. Graves said at the time she had to live with her con- science and wouldn’t feel right jacking up the price just because the buyer was a movie studio. She got the job by being a local painter known for her renditions of the mountain. Paramount called her and she sent a painting she had done three years earlier. The studio liked the scene but said it would have to be about twice as big for use in the movie, Mrs. Graves holed up in her stu» dio and Whipped out the larger ing looked absolutely beautiful and was an asset to the set,” a Paramount executive wrote in a letter to her. With Hazel Beckwith, she painted a mural in 1974 that adoms a wall in the day room of the Shelton Fire Department. The painting depicts the 1907 fire that devastated downtown Shel» ton. Her studio, located behind her Shelton home near Five Corners, was a former garage converted for her use. It once had 14 easels for students. Mrsi Graves was preceded in death by a brother, Robert Simpv SOIL She is survived by her sons, Dennis L. Graves and his wife Pa- mela, Raymond Wt Graves and L. Dean Graves, all of Shelton; brothers Roy Simpson of Shelton and Russell Simpson of Yelm; sisters Frances West of Shelton, Leona Hilton of Shelton, Betty Mills of Vancouver and Gertrude Vander Wal of Pollock, South Da- kota; 16 grandchildren and 11 great»g‘randchildren. A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, December 30, at the Bethel Assembly of God church in Shelton. A potluck meal will follow. . In lieu of flowers, memorial do- nations may be sent to the Save the Firehouse Mural Wall Fund at Simpson Community Federal Credit Union, Shelton. , OCR Text: /Z wa—/7?7 Velma May Graves Velma May Graves Longtime Shelton resident and artist Velma May Graves, who once sold a painting to a major motion picture studio, died of nat- ural causes on Christmas Eve at Fir Lane Health and Rehabilita- tion Center. She was 77 and had lived in Shelton for 55 years. She was born in September 1922 in Curlew to Daniel and M. Cleora Simpson. ‘ She was raised in Hoodsport by her mother and stepfather, Lou Millard. She married Floyd W. Graves on June 29, 1940. He preceded her in death last February. She was a local artist and teacher for more than 30 years. She taught art at the Olympic College extension for 17 years and gave private lessons for more than 30 years In 1995, one of her oil paint- ings of Mount Rainier was sold to Paramount Pictures for use in the film Black Sheep, a political comedy set in Washington which starred David Spade and the late Chris Farley. The painting sold for $300, not a dime more or less than she would have charged anybody. Mrs. Graves said at the time she had to live with her con- science and wouldn’t feel right jacking up the price just because the buyer was a movie studio. She got the job by being a local painter known for her renditions of the mountain. Paramount called her and she sent a painting she had done three years earlier. The studio liked the scene but said it would have to be about twice as big for use in the movie, Mrs. Graves holed up in her stu» dio and Whipped out the larger ing looked absolutely beautiful and was an asset to the set,” a Paramount executive wrote in a letter to her. With Hazel Beckwith, she painted a mural in 1974 that adoms a wall in the day room of the Shelton Fire Department. The painting depicts the 1907 fire that devastated downtown Shel» ton. Her studio, located behind her Shelton home near Five Corners, was a former garage converted for her use. It once had 14 easels for students. Mrsi Graves was preceded in death by a brother, Robert Simpv SOIL She is survived by her sons, Dennis L. Graves and his wife Pa- mela, Raymond Wt Graves and L. Dean Graves, all of Shelton; brothers Roy Simpson of Shelton and Russell Simpson of Yelm; sisters Frances West of Shelton, Leona Hilton of Shelton, Betty Mills of Vancouver and Gertrude Vander Wal of Pollock, South Da- kota; 16 grandchildren and 11 great»g‘randchildren. A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, December 30, at the Bethel Assembly of God church in Shelton. A potluck meal will follow. . In lieu of flowers, memorial do- nations may be sent to the Save the Firehouse Mural Wall Fund at Simpson Community Federal Credit Union, Shelton. , Mason County Genealogical Society,Obituaries,Other Obituaries,G Last Name,Graves, Velma May.tif,Graves, Velma May.tif, Graves, Velma May.tif