ST. TAMMANY PARISH, LA. Obituary for: MIDDLETON, ESSIE GRAVES Submitted by: Louis Lavedan. Source: E.J. Fielding Funeral Home, Covington, La. Died: Sunday, September 11, 2016 ======================================================================= Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgenweb.org/volunteers/copyright.shtml ======================================================================= MIDDLETON, ESSIE GRAVES January 4, 1920 - September 11, 2016 ========== A photo is available for this file. Please go to http://usgwarchives.net/la/sttammany/obits/dateobits/2016/st1609.htm and click to view list of photos. ========== Essie Graves Middleton passed away on Sunday, September 11, 2016 at the age of 96. Beloved wife of the late Thomas Earl Middleton. Loving mother of Cynthia “Cindi” Middleton Raymond and mother in law to Perry Mason Raymond. Grandmother of Cara Lynne Raymond and aunt to many caring nieces and nephews. Sister of the late Russell Lee Graves, Oma Graves Kennedy, June Graves Clark, Irene Develle Graves Catalano and John Miller Graves. Sister-in-law of the late Doris Lee Middleton. Daughter-in-law of the late Maud Bickley and Earl Quincy Midddleton. Essie was born in Slaton, Texas, in 1920, the daughter of a home builder, William Russell Graves. Mr. Graves died an untimely death, and Essie, at 9 years old, boarded a train with her mother, Emma Lee Graves, and her siblings, all bound for Galena Park, Texas. She went to school in Galena Park and participated competitively in softball, basketball and volleyball. There, she met her sweetheart, Tom Middleton, and married him at age 20. Essie kept the books for her father-in-law at Middleton’s Supermarket in Galena Park. Mr. Earl Middleton sent Essie and Tom to Sam Houston State College, but as World War II was heating up, Essie and Tom left the college in Huntsville, Texas, and moved to California. Essie began working at Northrup Aviation as a secretary to the manager of Labor Relations. When Tom joined the Navy, assigned to repair airplanes, Essie returned to Galena Park. After the war, their daughter, Cynthia, was born. Essie and Tom decided to make Galena Park their home, and opened and operated an appliance and radio repair business for 3 years. In the 1950’s Essie and Tom sold the appliance business and began the Middleton Real Estate and Insurance Agency. In 1959 they moved to Northshore area of Houston with their family and relocated their business with Essie as the bookkeeper and office manager. Essie combined many roles as mother and business woman, and gave back to the community by joining the Rotary Anns of the Northshore Rotary Club and Beta Sigma Phi, a business women’s sorority. She was a parishioner of All Saints Episcopal Church in Galena Park for many years. Essie and Tom retired in 1975 and moved to acreage near Normangee, Texas. Essie and Tom enjoyed the outdoors that offered bountiful wildlife as well as fishing on their favorite lake that was built and named after their beloved granddaughter, Cara. They loved to share this special place in the woods with family and friends. In 1999 they moved to join their daughter and family in Mandeville, Louisiana. 2002 Essie lost her love, Tom, and moved to a retirement community, Christwood, in Covington, Louisiana. She delighted in discovery of the wonderful Louisiana culture of music, fine food, Mardi Gras, and enjoyed many celebratory times with Cindi, Perry and her precious Cara. Her infectious, warm smile, twinkling eyes and loving, giving heart will be missed. We celebrate her full life that embraced so many. Homecoming for Essie will be in Houston where she will be buried next to her husband, Thomas Earl Middleton. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the funeral services at Forest Park Lawndale Funeral Home, 6900 Lawndale Street, Houston, TX 77023 on Friday, September 16, 2016 at 10:00 AM with visitation beginning at 9:00 AM. Interment will follow in Forest Park Cemetery at 11:00 AM. Memorial donations in honor of Mrs. Middleton may be made to Northlake Mandeville Rotary Club, Mandeville, Louisiana or Northshore Rotary Club, Houston Texas. US Navy ===================