Dr. Patrick Grosvenor Graham

1929 - 2021

Dr. Patrick Grosvenor Graham
December 29, 2021
Fairway, Kansas - Patrick Grosvenor Graham, age 92, passed away on December 29, 2021 in his Fairway, Kansas home with his beloved dog, Jack, by his side. He was born in 1929 in Ogden, Utah, the son of Samuel Fleck Graham of Ballyclare, Northern Ireland and Christina Stubbs Graham of Fowler, Colorado. His father was a store manager with the J.C. Penny Company and his job took the family to cities in the West and Midwest. Patrick spent his early years in Seattle, an "idyllic" childhood in Lincoln, Nebraska and then moved to Kansas City for high school, graduating from Pembroke Country Day (Pembroke Hill) in 1947. After high school, he attended Williams College, where he majored in English and played polo for the Ephs. Upon graduation from Williams he enlisted in the Marine Corps, serving as a 1st lieutenant in the Korean War. Patrick was proud to be a Marine and attended the annual Marine Corps luncheon throughout his life. Moved in part by his experiences in the war, he decided to become a surgeon, enrolling at The Medical College of Virginia. It was during his residency in thoracic surgery at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, that he met his wife, Patricia Collier. The couple moved to Kansas City in the early 1960's where Patrick set up his practice.
Patrick loved being a surgeon and kept in touch with many of his patients over the years. He was also the unofficial "Doc" to many family and friends, dispatching advice on scrapes and sprains with, "Wash it off with soap and water." For more serious illness or injuries, he provided valuable insight, referrals and reassurance.
Patrick was a voracious reader, history buff, spot on mimic, storyteller, and the repository of family lore, so much of it now gone with his passing. He was an avid golfer and for a time an upland game hunter. He and Patricia welcomed many beloved dogs into their lives – Blue, Hermie, Lucy, and the two Jacks. Just for fun, Patrick learned how to juggle, ran a marathon and tried out for "Jeopardy!" He will be remembered as loyal and generous to his family and friends. His gruff exterior could not mask his heart of gold.
Patrick was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Patricia, his sister Katherine Graham Spencer, his nephew Patrick Graham Spencer and his cousins Jan Gambrel Phillips, Joseph Haney (Josh) Cochran, III and Diana Gambrel Huston.
He is survived by his nieces Elisabeth Spencer, Katherine Spencer Rivard and her husband Jay and their daughter, Amanda Rivard, his cousins Christian Cochran (Janna) and family, Deirdre Sheerin, Christina Lanoue (Mike) and family, Nick Huston, Catherine Huston and family, Adam Huston (Haza), Stephanie Tinsley (Jerry), John Stubbs, and a multitude of cousins, in-laws and extended family throughout the US, Ireland and Canada. In addition, he leaves behind many dear friends, including his housekeeper who helped him to live independently in his last year, Pam Hutchins.
A remembrance for Patrick will be held in the spring. Donations in Patrick's memory can be made to the Pembroke Hill School, Williams College or The Nature Conservancy.