Gerald Graff

Gerald (Gerry) Lee Graff was born December 16, 1936, at home, in Hittle Township, Illinois and died April 25, 2022, in Des Moines, Iowa. He came to Des Moines to attend Drake University on a basketball scholarship and while his sporting career did not last long, Des Moines became the place where he would meet his wife, start a family and lead a long and happy life. The second youngest of nine children Gerry was preceded in death by his parents Bertha Fein and Harvey Graff, and siblings: James, Harvey Jr., Dorothy, Mauna Smlez, Eileen Beitel, Margaret Knobeloch, and Patricia Miller. He is survived by sibling Wayne Graff of Litchfield, IL. Gerry is also survived by his wife of 57 years Rosemary (Attwater) and children Dr. Justin (Jill) Graff and Stephanie (Andrew) Conaway. He loved his grandchildren Collin and Lauren Graff, and Henry and Emmet Conaway. After graduating from Drake, Gerry owned and operated the Shell station on the corner of Hickman and Merle Hay Road from 1962 to 1975. When Shell Oil left central Iowa Gerry joined Reed Cadillac-Oldsmobile (Now Wilson Toyota) in Ames. He spent the next twenty years there as the service manager. Most weekends you could find him boating at Lake Rathbun. In retirement he loved to garden, cook and of course eat. He touched so many people’s lives with a smile and a wink. A private memorial service will be held later.