Nov. 19, 2003 – George Graves, international sailor and world-class artist, died Nov. 4 at his home in Port Townsend, WA. "Schooner George", as he was known, lived in St. John in the 1980s, where he built a home on Bordeaux Mountain. Born in New York City, Graves was raised in Denmark and subsequently had a career in set construction and design in New York City.
Schooner George sailed around the world single-handed three times, doing elegant carvings on his boat as he sailed. He came ashore in St. John, sold his boat, and began building.
His exhibition of carvings at David Knight's specialty lumber company is still remembered, including such pieces as "Can of Worms."
In recent years, he built and sold custom houses in Port Townsend. He struggled with multiple myeloma for three and a half years and finally succumbed at age 72. He is survived by his widow Karen Wagner. A celebration of life will be held Dec. 6 in Port Townsend.
