The Graves Family

By Laura Graves Smith

HOW WE GOT HERE

Both my sets of great grandparents came to Long Beach before WWI. On my mom’s side, my great grandpa John Russell moved to Long Beach from Havelock, Iowa, in 1902. My great grandma Gladys Inman moved to Long Beach from Marble Rock, Iowa, around 1914 because her family was told that Long Beach had the best climate. My parents John and LuAnne both grew up in Long Beach and attended Hill and Wilson together. They celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary this year.

WHO’S STILL HERE

I was born in Long Beach but my family moved to the Bay Area when I was an infant. Family ties brought my husband and me to Long Beach in 2014 and we felt right at home. My kids are 5th generation Long Beach residents on my side of the family. We now live in The Hole (University Park Estates) with our two kids and two dogs. We love spending time at Alamitos Bay, El Dorado Park, and enjoying the fun active Long Beach lifestyle.

FAMILY MEMORIES

On my mom’s side, my grandpa Karl Johnson was a LB firefighter in Station 4. I still have his helmet. On my dad’s side, my grandma Betty Graves was an Olympics sailing judge for the 1984 Olympics.