Joseph Graham, Class of H'70

Joseph Graham H’70 died March 29, 2022. Born April 6, 1929, in Tiro, Ohio to the late Luther and Sara (Betts) Graham, he graduated from Tiro High School in 1947, earned his bachelor’s degree from Bluffton University in 1951 and master of divinity from United Theological Seminary in 1953. Joe was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Otterbein College in 1970.

Joe lived a life of service and was a devout United Methodist pastor. He was heavily involved in the churches that he served as well as the denomination as a whole. He served churches in Pasco, Sandusky, Lima, Hamilton, and Dayton. He served as the Findlay District Superintendent of the E.U.B. Church and as the District Superintendent for the Athens District of the United Methodist Church. He served as Board Chairman of the Trustees of the Otterbein Retirement Community and later served and retired as the Administrator of the Twin Towers Retirement Community. He was a delegate to both the General Conference and North Central Jurisdiction for several years, where he served on a variety of committees and as the vice chairman of the General Conference in 1988. Joe was also an active participant in the Association of Ohio Philanthropic Home for the Aged (AOPHA), American Association of Homes and Services for the Aged (AAHSA), Protestant Health and Human Services Association (PHHA), and United Methodist Association of Health and Welfare Ministries, section on Aging.

In addition to his wife, Blanch (May) Graham, Joe leaves his children Tom ’77 (Lois ’77) Graham, Sally (Larry) Scheiderer and Becky (Todd) Stephenson; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He often said he was “sinfully” proud of his family. Also surviving are his sister, Rose Eva (Ed) Grau and nieces and nephews. Along with his parents, Joe was preceded in death by brothers Vernon and Wilford Graham and sister Ruth (Graham) TenEyck.