Weldon Maurice McGraw, "Joe", was born on March 3, 1920 in Culleoka, Texas to Kate and Lawrence McGraw. He was the third of four children (3 boys and girl). He grew up on a farm and spent some time picking cotton along with other farm duties. Joe joined the Marines as a young man and served in World War II. He was stationed on Samoa when the island was shelled after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Joe returned to McKinney after the war and began work as a fireman at the Veterans hospital. After working at the fire department in McKinney, he transferred to the fire department at the airbase in Ardmore, Oklahoma. He was then recruited to serve as an assistant chief for the new Air Force Academy Fire Department when the Air Force Academy was opening in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Joe also acted as Fire Chief for the volunteer fire department that served the northern part of Colorado Springs.
Joe was married to his childhood sweetheart, Strelsa Lee Graves, "Pat", until her death in 1981. He and Pat raised their daughter Joanne in Colorado Springs. While in Colorado, he and his fireman buddies tore down an old city hall in a small mountain town and used some of the lumber to build a cabin at Twin Lakes, near Mount Elbert in Colorado. In addition to the cabin, he loved camping and traveling in his trailers and motor homes over the years.
After his retirement from the Air Force Academy, he worked in real estate for a while. Joe always had to have a handyman project that he could work on. It might be painting or building a shed or climbing on the roof. He was still climbing up on roofs in his late 80's and painting houses well into his 90's.
Joe returned to Texas after Pat's death and was fortunate to be introduced by Charles Graves, Pat's brother, to Barbara Neilson, "Bobbye". He and Bobbye married in December of 1982. They each had a daughter, Laura and Joanne and they spent the next 32 years together sharing many happy times and adventures. Joe and Bobbye enjoyed travels with two different camping clubs and trips on their own in the motor home. Bobbye worked side by side with him to add a room to the cabin and to bring it up to date. Bobbye and Joe were a perfect example of what a good, loving marriage should be. They were also blessed to share their love for their beautiful lab Josephine. They have two grandsons, Wade and Joseph and three granddaugthers, Robin, Kathleen, and Jessie. He was always very proud of his daughters, Joanne and her husband Jon and Laura and her husband Paul and his grandchildren. Joe has attended the Methodist Church for most of his life and has been a member of First Methodist Church in Garland.
A graveside service will be held 10:30 a.m., Friday, June 20, 2014 at Ridgeview Memorial Park in Allen, Texas. Family and friends are invited to the funeral home at their convenience on Thursday to pay their respects and to sign the register book.
Memorials may be made to Methodist Children’s Home, 1111 Herring Avenue, Waco, Texas 76708, or www.methodistchildrenshome.org.