Dr. Donald E. Graham, 65, of Savannah, GA and of Dayton, OH passed
peacefully in his home on Friday, June 15, 2007 under the care of his
family and Hospice of Savannah. He is the son of Lucy Laverne Merritt
Graham of Bedford, VA and the late Ellis Herman Graham.
Born in
Bedford, Virginia, Dr. Graham.s life was defined by his commitment to his
family and to the electrical technology to which he devoted his
professional career. He received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical
Engineering from VA Tech, and a Master of Science degree along with a
Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University
of Dayton. He was a registered Professional Engineer in Ohio who enjoyed
an international reputation as an electrical engineer associated with the
automotive industry.
Dr. Graham joined Delco Products, a division
of General Motors in 1964. In 1990, he received the Outstanding
Engineering and Scientist Award presented by the Dayton Engineering
Affiliate Societies Council. He was a member of the Editorial Board of The
International Journal for Vehicle Design and served for several years as
chairman of the .International Association of Vehicle Design Congress. in
Geneva, Switzerland. He holds 26 US patents related to a variety of
automotive and industrial controls.
Since his retirement from
General Motors in 1995, Dr. Graham has been Director of Engineering at
Dayton-Phoenix Group of Dayton, Ohio.
Don enjoyed being a private
pilot and amateur radio operator. He was a member of Southminster
Presbyterian Church in Dayton, Ohio.
In addition to his mother, Don
is survived by his wife of 41 years, Eleanor Johnson Graham; two sons,
Kevin Donald Graham of San Diego, CA and Mark Jennings Graham and his wife
Christina of Dayton, OH; sister-in-law, Rose Marie Johnson of Baltimore,
MD; brother-in-law and wife, David and Kaye Johnson of Richmond,
VA.
A celebration of Don.s life will be held Tuesday June 19, 2007
at 11:00 AM in Tharp Funeral Chapel, Bedford with the Rev. Dr. David L.
Henderson officiating. Interment will be in Greenwood Cemetery.
A
memorial service will be conducted Monday, June 25, 2007 at 4:00 PM at
Southminister Presbyterian Church, Centerville, OH with the Rev. Eric
Pasanchin officiating.
Memorial contributions may be made to
Hospice of Savannah, P.O. Box 13190, Savannah, GA, 31411.
