Richard Graf, Class of 1963

Richard Graf ’63 died on Aug. 28, 2020. He was born in Lancaster, Ohio on June 26, 1934 to the late Mary Hoffer and Leo Graf. He attended St. Charles, Aguinas, North High School and graduated from Central Evening School in 1953. He played freshman football at Ohio University in 1953 and enlisted in the Marine Corp in 1956. He played baseball in Japan and football in Okinawa for the Sukiran Streaks, 3rd Marine Regiment and was discharged in 1958. In 1962 Dick graduated from Otterbein College with a double major in psychology & sociology and minor in education. He received a Masters Degree in 1965 from Wittenberg University. He taught at East High School for 2 years, was a guidance counselor at Everett Middle School for 5 years and then found his passion as a truant officer at West High School, where he was for 25 years until he retired from Columbus City Schools. He enjoyed many years of playing handball at the YMCA, socializing at McConnell’s Heart Health Center.

Dick is survived by his wife, Nancy Ries Graf, daughter Karen ’83 (Dan) Hamilton, grandsons Jacob Richard, Matt (Mary), Ross (fiancée Sally), and granddaughter Katie, a niece and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Carole (Tom) Sullivan, Marilee (Gene) Moriarty, and sister-in-law, Ann Ries (Frank) Teach.