GRAFT, Jack

GRAFT, Jack Harvey

Jack Harvey Graft, of One Lincoln Park in Kettering, died peacefully on Friday, May 6 2022, at Hillspring Skilled Nursing Facility in Springboro, after a long battle with COPD. He was 92.

In 1929 Jack was the eldest half of the first set of twins born

in then-new Miami Valley Hospital, son of the late Charles and Elvira Graft. He was predeceased by his first wife Nancy, their infant son Matthew, and second wife Kathy.

He is survived by his daughter Jan Cox and her husband Tony, their sons Keith and Kevin Carlon, his twin sister Jeanne Berry, numerous nieces and nephews, and his beloved companion Stella. He leaves behind countless loving friends and neighbors.

Jack graduated from Middletown High School and served a total of 10 years in the Navy, the Naval Reserves, and the Army; this included 2 years of combat service during the Korean War. He was honorably discharged in 1956.

After the military, Jack worked for Western Electric/AT&T as a telephone equipment technician for 34 years. Not one to sit still, he filled his post-retirement years with odd jobs that included video store clerk, florist delivery driver, rental car detailer, and volunteer courier for the Kettering Fire Department. This final assignment earned him an honorary membership in the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 2150, of which he was extremely proud.

Jack was initiated into the Franklin Chapter of the Masonic Lodge in 1973 and actively served both the Minerva Lodge in Miamisburg and Millennium Lodge in Dayton until his death. March 17, 2022, would have been the 50th anniversary of his long, proud Masonic service.

He enjoyed travel, especially railway and cruise ship excursions, and was a lifelong baseball fan who played on several softball teams throughout his life, most recently enjoying season tickets to the Dayton Dragons for several seasons. As an aviation buff, he attended numerous air shows across the U.S., and was thrilled to go up once in the Wright "B" Flyer - a replica of the Wright Brothers' famous original Flyer.

In recent years he enjoyed his new community of friends and caregivers at One Lincoln Park Independent Living, and could be seen taking daily walks around the park, birdwatching and offering a friendly greeting to everyone he met.

Services will be at the Dayton Masonic Center Auditorium, 525 W. Riverview Avenue (next to the Dayton Art Institute) this Sunday, May 15, 2022, beginning at 9:30am. There will be a brief reception following his celebration of life.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests you make a donation in Jack's name to either the Easter Seals or the American Lung Association.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.tobias-funeral.com for the Graft family.

Sign the guestbook at Legacy.com