 Graves was a pillar of the Los Alamos community . He was an active member of the non @-@ denominational Protestant Community Church . With the encouragement of Elizabeth , who played the violin , he learned to play the cello , hoarding his petrol ration stamps so that he could travel to Santa Fe , New Mexico , for lessons . He played in the Los Alamos Symphony , accompanying local performances of Gilbert and Sullivan and Handel 's Messiah . He was chairman of the board of the local bank , and a member of the local school board . 
