When Joseph Conrad Graf was born on November 30, 1924, in Natrona, Pennsylvania, his father, Joseph, was 37 and his mother, Rose, was 34. He married Teresa Eva Graf Pingitore in Wayne, New Jersey. They had three children during their marriage. He died on April 3, 1976, in Orange, Florida, at the age of 51, and was buried in Flat Rock, Michigan.

James dad has many fond memories of his Uncle Joe. He remembers Uncle Joe always helping with big and little projects at his home including setting up his basketball net on the garage, making a BB gun target, and fixing his train. Joe was very good with mechanical things and also very creative. Like his father, Joe would set up a Christmas display with a train and small homes. Joe liked camping and owned a camper which he put to good use every summer.

During the 70’s almost everyone in the family would vacation at Disney World and Joe took his family there in 1976 (Dad remembers taking care of Sandy’s guinea pig while they were away). Joe had a heart attack at Disney World and died shortly after. Ironically 25 years later his sister Loretta would also die while on vacation in Traverse City.