January 17, 2025

Richard L. Graham

Creston

By Powers Funeral Home
Richard Graham, 81, of Creston, died Sunday January 12, 2025, at his home in Creston. Celebration of life service will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday January 16, 2025, at Powers Funeral Home in Creston. Pastor Mary O’Riley will officiate the service. Services will be livestreamed by accessing a link under the obituary. The family requests casual dress for the service. Burial will be at Diagonal Cemetery in Diagonal. Open visitation, with family receiving friends, will be 9:30-10:30 a.m. service time at Powers Funeral Home in Creston. Memorials can be made to the family. Online condolences can be given at www.powersfh.com. Richard Lee Graham, son of Earl Graham and Margaret Inez (Gebhardt) Graham, was born on January 14, 1943, in Diagonal, Iowa at home. In his early years Rich attended Diagonal schools and graduated from Creston High School in 1961. On September 6, 1965, Rich was united in marriage to Marla Lou Jean Culbertson at the St. John’s Church in Creston. From this union came one child, Deborah. In 1969, he moved to Montana for a few brief years and returned to Creston. He first worked at Hills McCanna for a couple years and then worked with his father, Earl, Bob Parsons, and Skeeter Sheets, doing carpentry work. He then owned and operated his own roofing company, Graham Roofing. On September 2, 2008, he was united in marriage to Ella Jean (McDanolds) McKinney, in Creston, Iowa, at Justice of the Peace. He continued his roofing business until his retirement in 2009. Rich enjoyed trapping during the winter and making a living off of that. Richard was a lifetime member of the Creston Eagles Club, a supporter of the Creston V.F.W., the Creston American Legion, Whitetail Unlimited and the American Trapper Association. He is survived by his wife, Ella Jean of Creston; his children, Deborah Graham of Creston and Jamison (Lacie) Graham of Crane, Mo.; his step-sons, Jeff McKinney of Kent and Scott (Jeanna) McKinney of Afton; his sister, Dorothy Stuart of Creston; along with his three grandchildren, Margaret Williams (significant other Aaron Gibbons) of Lorimor, Ia., Ryan and Tanner Graham both of Crane, Mo.; 2 step-grandchildren, Jessica McKinney of Omaha, Neb. and Mackinzey McKinney of Des Moines, Ia. 2 great-grandchildren, Haelynn and Kyler Graham and his beloved dog, Oscar. He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Rosemary (J.R.) Waddell and Donna Rae, in infancy; two brothers-in-law, Bill Stuart and J.R. Waddell; along with a niece, Sondra Benjamin.

Richard Graham, 81, of Creston, died Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, at his home in Creston. (Contributed )

Richard Graham, 81, of Creston, died Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, at his home in Creston. Celebration of life service will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, at Powers Funeral Home in Creston. Pastor Mary O’Riley will officiate the service. Services will be livestreamed by accessing a link under the obituary on the funeral home’s website. The family requests casual dress for the service. Burial will be in the Diagonal Cemetery in Diagonal. Open visitation, with family receiving friends, will be 9:30-10:30 a.m. service time, at Powers Funeral Home in Creston.

Memorials can be made to the family. Online condolences can be given at www.powersfh.com.

Richard Lee Graham was born Jan. 14, 1943, the son of Earl Graham and Margaret Inez (Gebhardt) Graham at home in Diagonal. In his early years Rich attended Diagonal schools and graduated from Creston High School in 1961.

On Sept. 6, 1965, Rich was united in marriage to Marla Lou Jean Culbertson at St. John’s Church in Creston. From this union came one child, Deborah. In 1969, he moved to Montana for a few brief years and then returned to Creston. He first worked at Hills McCanna for a couple of years and then worked with his father Earl, Bob Parsons and Skeeter Sheets doing carpentry work. He then owned and operated his own roofing company, Graham Roofing.

On Sept. 2, 2008, he was united in marriage to Ella Jean (McDanolds) McKinney at the Justice of the Peace in Creston. He continued his roofing business until his retirement in 2009. Rich enjoyed trapping during the winter and making a living off of that.

Richard was a lifetime member of the Creston Eagles Club, a supporter of the Creston V.F.W., the Creston American Legion, Whitetail Unlimited and the American Trapper Association.

He is survived by his wife, Ella Jean of Creston; his children, Deborah Graham of Creston and Jamison (Lacie) Graham of Crane, Missouri; his stepsons, Jeff McKinney of Kent and Scott (Jeanna) McKinney of Afton; his sister, Dorothy Stuart of Creston; three grandchildren: Margaret Williams (significant other Aaron Gibbons) of Lorimor and Ryan and Tanner Graham, both of Crane, Missouri; two stepgrandchildren, Jessica McKinney of Omaha, Nebraska, and Mackinzey McKinney of Des Moines; two great-grandchildren, Haelynn and Kyler Graham and his beloved dog, Oscar.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Rosemary Waddell and Donna Rae, in infancy; two brothers-in-law, Bill Stuart and J.R. Waddell; and niece, Sondra Benjamin.