Obituary of Larry James Graham

Larry J. Graham, 68, of Dowagiac, suddenly passed away on May 23, 2022, at the Butterworth Hospital of Grand Rapids. On March 28, 1954, Larry was born in Dowagiac to the late Donald “Otto” Graham and his surviving mother, Carolyn (Winchell) Graham. Larry was a very social, outgoing individual, who enjoyed nothing more than spending time with his friends and family. Born and raised in Dowagiac, he was a friendly face in the area for 68 years. Larry was the picture-perfect definition of a man’s man. He loved to hunt and fish, and go camping and could be found close to the grill at any of the cookouts he would attend. He also enjoyed working with his hands, he could fix or repair just about anything that was asked of him; and what glue couldn’t fix, duct tape could. As a child, his parents had a cottage on Pettibone Lake, and that area was special to him his entire life. Northern Michigan had a special place in his heart and whenever he had a chance to get out of the house, up north is where you could have found him. Hanging out with “the boys” was one of his favorite ways to let off some steam, as he could do all of his favorite things with his best friends. Anybody who knew Larry would also know that his family meant more to him than anything. He had a very special relationship with his mom, and after meeting Linda Davis, the woman he would spend the rest of his days with, his family expanded as he took in her family as well. He loved to spoil all four of Linda’s kids and always made sure to treat them like they were his own. He had a hard time saying no, as he just wanted to see them happy no matter what. As the kids grew into adults, Larry eventually was blessed with having nine grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. If his heart wasn’t softened by the kids, the grandkids did the trick. He was always a big fan of sports, Notre Dame especially, and when his grandkids started playing sports there was hardly a game that he wasn’t at. Larry was a great supporter of the people he loved; he listened, was patient, and could make a person feel cared for. He was an excellent example of what it meant to be a father figure, a friend, and a partner. He will be sorely missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him. Preceding Larry in death is his dad, Donald “Otto” Graham; as well as a grandson, Kore Smith. Those surviving Larry include his mother, Carolyn (Winchell) Graham; his life partner, Linda Davis; the children he helped raise, Tracy (Rick) Ivens, Tabatha (Rob) Gajewski, Jolene (Rico) Davis-Smith, and Duane (Brittney) Davis; aunt, Thelma and Bob McElheny; Cousins, Lori White and Brad McElheny; life long friend, Bob Jackson; as well as his nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. A memorial service for Larry will be held at Brown Funeral Home & Cremation Services on Friday, June 3, 2022, with visitation starting at 4:00 p.m. and the service beginning at 5:00. Memorial contributions may be made out to Larry’s family. Arrangements have been entrusted to Brown Funeral Home & Cremation Services