Obituary source St. John's United Church of Christ scrapbook
Date of obituary Wednesday, February 22, 1995, p2.
Newspaper source unknown
Ruby Alene Frazier Grafft, 71, a long time resident of Payette, died February 20, 1995, in a Boise hospital. Services will be 10 a.m. Thursday at the First United Methodist Church, Payette, with Pastor David Stewart officiating. Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery, Payette, under the direction of Shaffer-Jensen Memory chapel, Payette.
She was born June 23, 1923, on Washoe Flat, Fruitland, a daughter of Clyde and Gladys Frazier. She attended schools in Fruitland and New Plymouth. She lived with her family in Kooskia, Idaho during her teen years, interrupted by nurse's training at Weiser Vocational School in 1941-42.
On July 17, 1944, she married Dean Irvin Grafft, a soldier at Camp Roberts in Paso Robles, Calif., beginning a 50 year journey together. After living in Paso Robles during the remainder of World War II, they lived in Clarinda, Iowa, and Baker, Ore., before moving to Springfield and Eugene in 1955 to receive Ministerial training at Northwest Christian College. Pastorate in Christian Churches in Norkenzie, Ore., and Mountain Home, Idaho, were followed by moves to Millersberg, Fulton, and Columbia, Mo., where Dean and Ruby pastored two churches and Dean earned a Masters Degree in social work in 1971. Subsequent social work assignments moved them to Rhinelander, Wis., Weiser and Payette, where they retired in 1983 and have lived the last 21 years. On July 16, 1994, their children honored them with a Golden Anniversary celebration attended by friends and relatives from all over the Northwest.
While in Missouri, Ruby worked as Educational Secretary for Woodhaven Home for Exceptional Children. After moving to Wisconsin she enjoyed acting in student productions at Nicolet College; she also finished a long delayed high school diploma, learned to type and earned a certificate as Medical transcriptionist, a profession she practiced in Wisconsin and Ontario.
Three of Ruby's favorite activities, cooking, sewing and singing were often inspired by the loves of her life; her faith, her family and her many friends. Her culinary gifts, from cinnamon rolls to dill pickles, were valued by fortunate recipients all over the country. She sang in eight or more church and community choirs, throughout the years; most recently with Gals Friday in Payette. She was a member of Payette Valley Community Chorus at the time of her death. Ruby also studied oil painting with Payette artist, Loy Eaton. Her paintings hang in places of honor in homes of many friends and relatives. Writing was yet another hobby, as evidenced in her 1991 autobiography, "Joe's Been There", which has provided hours of delightful reading for many.
Ruby loved the carefree excitement of traveling. Favorite trips included Calgary, Lake Louise, and Banff in Canada, Sanibel Island, Fla., Olympic Peninsula in Washington, and New Orleans. In 1982, she and Dean took a "dream trip", visiting eight European countries over a period of six weeks.
Survivors include her husband, Dean of Payette; four children, Greg Grafft of Boise, Marilyn Tackitt of Templeton, Calif., Phil Grafft of Springfield, Mo., and Paula Grafft of St. Louis, Mo., and 15 grandchildren who brought her special joy and kept her well supplied with stories, paintings and photographs. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Lyle Frazier.
Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, or to a favorite church or charity, in care of Shaffer-Jensen Memory Chapel, P.O. Box 730, Payette, ID 83661.
Friends may call from 3-9 p.m. Wednesday at Shaffer-Jensen Memory Chapel, Payette.
