Aretta Mae Graeve

Aretta Mae Followwill Graeve went to her heavenly home on Tuesday, July 29, 2025. A visitation will be held on Saturday, August 2, 2025, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at St. John’s Catholic Church in Adel, Iowa. A Funeral Mass will begin at 10:30 a.m. at the church. Interment will follow at Saint Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Dallas Center, Iowa. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Adel Public Library.

Mae was born on June 17, 1940 in rural Warren Co. Iowa to Charles Jacob Followwill and Irene LaVonne Harper. She was the “leader of the pack” of her siblings: Oda LaVonne, Norma Charlene, Glenda Rose, Charles David, Mary Belle, and Carl Joseph. She watched over them by helping to carry in firewood, milking the cow, dancing and singing with her sisters before the school bus came.

She went to East High School in Des Moines, Iowa her junior year. She graduated from St. Charles, Iowa High School in 1959 as valedictorian.

Mae met Don Graeve, her lifelong love working at Bishop’s Cafeteria in Des Moines. Their marriage in August 1960 at St. Peters Church in Des Moines lasted sixty-five years with love and faithfulness to one another and their children. Their love was shown daily to their children Cynthia Jo, Deanna Lynn and Craig Alan.

Mae worked for many years at Bell Telephone company as a telephone operator and advanced to the architecture drawing department for line repairmen. She was on a softball team and she and Don also were on a bowling team.

Perhaps the greatest memories for her and Don was the joy and goodness they showed for the Iowa Polka Club. There, they loved to dance with Mae serving as president of the club. Often, the club danced at the Iowa State Fair.

Goodness expressed itself in her membership in the Adel’s Women Club doing things for the community.

As the bible says in 2nd Timothy: “She fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith”.

She was preceded in death by her parents, brother, Carl Joseph Followwill, nephew, Alan Lance Followwill and niece, Charlotte Irene Crawford.

Those left to cherish her memory include her husband, Don Graeve, children: Cynthia (Dennis) Dingman of Menahga, MN, Deanna Lynn Graeve of Adel, IA, Craig Graeve of Perry, IA, brother and sisters: Oda LaVonne VanWinkle of Kerrville, TX, Norma Adams of LaGrange, TX, Rose Crawford of Heidenheimer, TX, David Followwill of Independence, MO and Mary Belle Hill of Norwalk, IA, and her uncle Charles Harper of Patterson, IA, Many loved in-laws, cousins, nephews, nieces, and friends.