Sheets and Childs Funeral Home

Don Graft, 82, a resident of Lake Township in Allen County and widely-acquainted area milk dealer, died Sunday, December 2, 2007 at 4:35 a. m. at the Hospice Home in Fort Wayne following a brief illness. He was a resident of rural Fort Wayne and was the owner and operator of the Graft Milk Transport for 63 years, delivering to the former Allen Dairy and Prairie Farms.

Don was born August 17, 1925 in Wells County, a son of the late Charles and Adalinda (Zwick) Graft. He was united in marriage on June 1, 1946 in Fort Wayne to Sue C. Blessing. Living in this area all of his life, he was a member of Suburban Bethlehem Lutheran Church, where he was a volunteer coach for the Suburban Bethlehem School’s Basketball team for 40 years. He served as the Lake Twp. Trustee from 1955 to 1962, and was president of the Allen County Board of Education from 1959 to 1962. As a young man he played on various area basketball and softball leagues.

The survivors include his wife of 61 years, Sue Graft,; their children Jim (Vicki) Graft and Donald L. Graft both of rural Fort Wayne, and Diane (Ed) Mayer of Valrico, Florida; two brothers, Ray Graft of Hoagland and Ralph Graft of New Haven; a sister Bertha Braun of Decatur; grandchildren Jami (PJ) Steffen, of Avon, Kelli (Chris) Moran, and Alissa (Ken) Knepple both of Fort Wayne, Kendall (Tyler) Hoffman of Columbia City, Ian Graft, Brandon Graft, and Aaron Graft all of Fort Wayne, Jeremy (Nicole) Mayer of Ocoee, Fl., and PFC Greg Mayer of South Korea; and great-grandchildren Timothy Knepple, Rebekah, Joshua, and Jessica Steffen, and Lydia Moran.

He was preceded in death by two brothers Charles Graft andThurman Graft; and a sister Viola Fisher.

Funeral services will be held Friday December 7, 2007 at 11:00 A.M. in the Suburban Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 6318 W. California Road, with Pastors Jerrold L. Nichols and Timothy Edwards officiating.

The family will receive friends at the church on Thursday from 2:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. and also on Friday morning at the church from 9:00 A.M. until service time.

Interment will be in the church cemetery.

Sheets & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco is in charge of the arrangements.

For those who wish memorials may be directed to Suburban Bethlehem Lutheran Church, or Visiting Nurse Service and Hospice. Envelopes will be available at the church.

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