OBITUARIES
Honoring a bright heart of San Marcos
CELESTE COOK & CHRISTOPHER GRAVIS
A fixture in the firmament of the Gravis and Die families has gone out: Pamela June Gravis died suddenly Monday, February 16.
Pamela came into the world November 14, 1954, the second of five daughters born to Tommye June and Joseph Carrell Die.
Though she was born in Woodville, deep in the east Texas piney woods, she defied easy regional characterization. Pam possessed the warmth of a Southern lady combined with the deep wisdom of a world traveler, which gave her a unique blend of grace, humor, and understanding that always put people at ease in her presence.
Pam Gravis was an integral part of the community since she moved here for college in 1995. From decades at the Daily Record to stints on multiple city commissions and boards, years as a Chamber ambassador and volunteering for multiple nonprofits, she left an indelible mark on San Marcos. Above is Pam, center left, with her husband Kearney and their children Celeste Cook and Christopher Gravis. Below Pam smiles with her grandson Parker Dumas. Photos contributed by Celeste Cook
Pam was a woman of many talents. In high school in Alice, Texas, she was a twirler for the band and a twice top-ranked alto in the Texas State Choir. While in high school, she met the love of her life, Kearney James Gravis. They were inseparable for the next 55 years, and their bond was the bedrock for a happy life for each other and their two children, Celeste and Christopher.
Pam moved to San Marcos in 1995 and graduated from Southwest Texas University in 1999, the last class to cross the stage of SWT. Before earning her degree, Pam was a disco queen, the lead singer of a band, a wife, a Mom, a musician, an entrepreneur, an estate sale savant, a substitute teacher, a pageant mom, a genius advocate, a three-wheeler daredevil, a devourer of books, a newspaper everything, and a consummate event planner.
She was deeply committed to her work, demonstrated by her 28-year tenure at the San Marcos Daily Record. She was engaged in San Marcos civic life, as a member of the city Ethics Review Commission, serving as President of Leadership San Marcos, twice elected Chairperson of the Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors, and being honored as Chamber of Commerce Ambassador of the Year.
She possessed a playful, sometimes blindsiding wit, and her friends and family enjoyed being ensnared in her machinations.
At the root of Pam’s gifts was a profound understanding of people. Above all else, Pam was good at people. If someone needed a home, she gave them hers. If they needed a hug, she was there. Food, comfort, a ride to the store, Pam gave what was needed and more. No one ever went hungry when Pam was around. She gathered people into her life and maintained deep, enduring friendships. Everyone who knew her was her friend, and she had a way of making people feel like they were the only person in the room.
It’s difficult to distill such a vast, brilliant, beautiful light into a single page of words. Pam was our compass star, the bright heart that shone for us throughout our lives. To say that she will be missed falls short of what we want to tell the world. Our world was better because she was in it, and our memories of her will continue to inspire and give us hope from now on.
Pam is survived by her husband Kearney James, and their children, Celeste Avonne Cook and her husband, Jason, and Christopher Kearney Gravis and his wife Amy; grandchildren Parker Dumas and his wife, Sae Wainwright; Elliot Kearney Gravis, Cora Elise Gravis, Tera Cook and great-grandchild Talon Cook. She is also survived by two younger sisters, Ava Elizabeth Purkey and Amy Allison Ubernosky, sisters-in-law Phyllis Ferguson and Querida Hampton, brother-in-law Ken Talbert, and her nieces and nephews, Amber Leann Ubernosky and her family, Clayton Hencerling, Allison June and Marian Celeste; Jason Ubernosky and his family, wife Amy, son Jason and daughter Ava; John Michael Ubernosky, Adrian Die, and Savannah Die and her family, fiance Corey Kenaley, son Thomas and daughter Melanie. Pam is also survived by great nieces and nephews as well as many beloved family friends who have been adopted into our family over time, including Bobby Bass, Heather Thompson, Matt Meyka, Lisa Tanksley, Justin Harrison, and Amanda Kendrick.
Pam is preceded in death by her parents, Tommye and Carrell Die, sisters Debra Carol Talbert and Melanie Gayle Die.
The family will hold a memorial service for Pam on Saturday, March 7 from 2 to 5 p.m. at The Price Center. We will have a small ceremony at 3 p.m. followed by time to share stories and remember the life of this wonderful lady, our beloved Lala.
Pam and her husband Kearney. The two were inseparable, even after 55 years of marriage, including running newspaper routes as delivery drivers together after Pam retired from the newspaper fulltime in 2021.
Pictured is Pam’s family as they grew up. From left to right, Debra Talbert, Pamela Gravis, Ava Purkey, Carrell Die, Amy Ubernosky and baby Melanie Gayle.
Never one to shy away from adventure, Pam set the example early for her family. She is pictured here with her skydiving children Celeste and Chris.
A social butterfly who would light up the room with her boisterous personality, Pam is pictured with some of her friends. From left to right, Lisa Searle, Tracy Herman, Elizabeth Castañeda, Tabitha Black, Kay Wilson, Pamela Gravis, Lisa Vaquera, Amy Stanfield and Pat Fernandez
Celeste Cook, Pamela Gravis and Amber Ubernosky. Photos contributed by Celeste Cook
Pam was a serial volunteer in San Marcos, culminating with a welldeserved Ambassador of the Year award from the San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce in 2017.
