Graff, John Marvin

John Marvin Graff, 74, of 3014 Franbrook Terrace NW, died Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011, at his home surrounded by his family after a long illness. Services: 10:30 a.m. Saturday, St. Jude Catholic Church, by the Rev. Mark Reasoner. Burial: St. Joseph Cemetery. A vigil service will be held Friday at 4 p.m. and a Knights of Columbus rosary at 6 p.m. at Teahen Funeral Home, where friends may call Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. Friends may also call Saturday after 9:30 a.m. at the church.

John is survived by his wife, Mary; two sons, Joseph (Jean) of Denver, Colo., and Martin (Melissa McNeill) of Minneapolis; two daughters, Michelle (Keith) Brimeyer of Dyersville and Lori (JD) Erner of Cedar Rapids; six grandchildren, Sarah and Nicholas Graff, Callie and Andrew Brimeyer and Emma and Cassidy Erner; and two sisters, Isabelle Schantz of Anaheim, Calif., and June Mutsch of New Berlin, Wis.

His parents, six brothers and three sisters preceded him in death.

John was born June 9, 1937, in West Allis, Wis., the son of Joseph and Susan (Lex) Graff. He served in the Air Force from 1956 to 1961. He married Mary Michalek on Dec. 2, 1961, in Victor. John retired from the Federal Aviation Administration in 1993 after 36 years, with his final assignment as an air traffic controller at the Cedar Rapids airport. He was employed for many years by Teahen Funeral Home as a funeral assistant.

He was a member of St. Jude Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus Council 5544, the 4th Degree of the Knights of Columbus Bowen General Assembly, Catholic Layman Club and the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA).

John enjoyed flying and was proud of his Skybolt experimental aircraft which took him 13 years to build, RV travel, playing golf and bowling, and meeting his friends for coffee to discuss the latest news.

John was a dedicated husband, father, and grandfather who deeply loved his family.

Online condolences may be left for the family at

A memorial fund has been established.

Published Dec. 29, 2011, in The Gazette