Charles L. Graham

Charles Lee Graham son of Roy E. and Gladys F. (Brown) was born September 26, 1932 south of Diagonal, Iowa and departed this life on January 4, 2007 at the Clearview Home in Mount Ayr, Iowa. Bud as he was known to everyone attended country schools and graduated from the Benton High School with the class of 1952. After graduation he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Alaska. He enjoyed his tour in Alaska enough that he and Marilyn made a trip back to see the area again. After his enlistment he was united in marriage to JoAnn Kneedler on November 19, 1955 in Bedford, Iowa. Three children, Sheila, Rickey and Shelly were born to this union. On November 24, 1981 Bud and Marilyn Monaghan were united in marriage at Grant City, Missouri. Following the military Bud started working his father in the salvage and blue grassing, he also worked for Bastow Feed and spend trucking 26 years for Schlapia Inc. of Diagonal and drove last for Mike Waltemath Trucking before retiring on December 31, 1999. Bud wasn't much for idle time and kept busy with working on his automobiles, and enjoyed hunting, fishing, golfing, camping, reading and going south for the winters and loved time with his grandchildren. Preceding him in death were his parents, an infant sister Betty Jean and his brother Don and his wife Belle Graham. Left to mourn his passing are his wife Marilyn Graham of Mt. Ayr; daughters, Sheila Graham of West Des Moines and Shelly (Allen) Tilley of Urbandale, IA; son Rickey Graham of Adel, IA; grandchildren Jeremy Lee (Crystal) Bullock, Jaime Lyn Bullock, Cody Lee (Jennifer) Bullock, Kylee Christopher Tilley, Kelsey Alisha Tilley and Brianna Nicole Graham; great grandchildren Tayrn Marie Bullock, Delaney Rachel Bullock, Jacob Jay Bullock and Jeremy Lee Bullock, Jr.; sister Shirley (Joe Jr.) Klejch of Mt. Ayr and brothers Dick Graham and Bob (Karyn) Graham of Benton, niece's nephews, cousins and friends.