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William Francis "Bill" McGraw
1918 - 2012
William Francis "Bill" McGraw
1918 - 2012
Obituary
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William McGraw Obituary
A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Friday at 1:30 p.m. at St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church in Front Royal, conducted by Father Stephen McGraw with additional priests concelebrating. Interment will follow in Panorama Memorial Gardens in Waterlick.
Mr. McGraw was born October 19, 1918, in Grafton, ND, son of the late William F. and Johanna Reynolds McGraw. He received a law degree from the University of North Dakota and served in the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corp immediately following WWII. For a few years, he was in private law practice in Washington, D.C. during which time he met and married his wife for the next 48 years, Onalee. Later, he would join the Board of Contract Appeals of the U.S. Department of the Interior, eventually serving as Chief Administrative Judge until his retirement in 1992. In 1977, Bill and his wife Onalee were among the founding board members of Christendom College, with Bill remaining on the board for 19 years. In 1994, Bill and Onalee moved from McLean, VA to retire in Front Royal, where they have been parishioners at St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church ever since.
He is survived by his wife, Onalee McGraw; three children, Laura McGraw Clark of Front Royal, Father Stephen McGraw, a Catholic priest of the Diocese of Arlington, VA, and Tom McGraw of Manassas, VA; and fifteen grandchildren.
A Rosary service will be held on Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. at Maddox Funeral Home and the family will receive friends following the service until 9:00 p.m.
Memorial contributions may be made to Christendom College, 134 Christendom Dr., Front Royal, VA 22630.
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Dean Ratzman
February 12, 2013
When I came to Washington D.C. to serve as Chairman of the Interior Board of Contract Appeals it was necessary to "restaff" the Board. It was my good fortune to meet Bill Mcgraw, who had Defense Department experience, time in private practice and had performed top rate work in Government contract areas. I arranged for Bill's appointment as a Board member. He was "at home" in the work, very able in conducting hearings, skilled in the area of legal writing, and fair to both sides in a dispute. Best of all we were good friends, I from a Lutheran family and probably a "liberal" in Bill's eyes. We both were from smaller law schools in Rocky Mountain states, and rancor never developed when we were deciding cases. I would never hesitate to assign a very difficult dispute to Bill. I was pleased to recommend Bill as the next Chairman when I was appointed to an Administrative Law Judge position in California. He had a long and rewarding life and provided exceptional service to his church and country. He was an admirable person in every sense of the word.
Maria Echeverria
March 30, 2012
A faithful Catholic. My simpathies to Mrs. MacGraw, Laura and Dan, Fr. Steve, Tom and Heather and all the grandchildren. Will pray for you that He may comfort you in his parting. God bless!
Gerry Zapiain
March 27, 2012
Just another comment, if I may: Simply, Mr. McGraw was so kind... so uncommonly kind.
March 23, 2012
To the family. Losing someone who has being a part of your life for so many years must be very difficult. May it help to ease the hurt you feel now to know that others care and are thinking of you at this sad time. With deepest sympathy. - Psalms 61:3
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Paul O'Donnell
March 23, 2012
One of my great memories of my college years was the wonderful hospitality shown by Mr. McGraw and his family allowing me to live with them during a Summer internship. Now living in North Dakota, I hadn't know of his connection to this State and feel a new and blessed connection. Our family will certainly keep him and the extended McGraw family in our prayers.
Jessie Wines
March 22, 2012
Dear Tom and family,
My sympathy to all of you at this sad
time. God Bless You and give you comfort.
(Jessie @ Christendom College)
Robert Rice
March 21, 2012
Mary Alice and I have known Bill McGraw and his dear wife Onalee and their children since 1981. Both Bill and Onalee were very important in the founding and sustaining of Christendom College. They opened their home in Falls Church to important meetings of the Board of Directors where they played gracious host and hostess, and Bill always offered important insights and caveats as the Board developed Christendom's policies. Bill was a strong supporter of Warren Carroll in keeping Christendom free from all Federal entanglements, for which we can be especially thankful today. Mary Alice and I were delighted when they moved from Falls Church to become our neighbors on Berbusse Lane. Theirs was a friendship we treasured and hope to continue in the Life of the World to Come. Bill & Onalee McGraw gave the Church a priest in his son Steve and strong Catholic families from his daughter Laura and his other son Tom. Bill lived a full life as a devout and orthodox Catholic. May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, rest in peace.
Fr. Ben Cameron
March 21, 2012
I am sorry for the loss of Mr. McGraw, he was a wonderful man and a great host when I lived with the family for a few weeks when I was an intern in D.C. I will offer a Mass for the repose of his soul.
Gloria Falcao Dodd
March 20, 2012
He indeed has left a beautiful legacy with his family and Christendom College. May his soul rest in peace and may Our Lady of Sorrows comfort all who mourn his death.
Matthew Whitehead
March 20, 2012
I am very sorry to hear about the death of our longtime friend Bill McGraw. This is very sad news for our whole family, whom have all been friends for a very long time. We will miss Mr. McGraw very much. We pray for the repose of his soul, and offer prayers for and sympathy to Onalee and to the entire McGraw family. God bless you all.
Eric Jenislawski, prof. of theology
March 20, 2012
I've been having my family and students prayer for Bill both in his last days and for the repose of his soul and comfort of his family. Rest assured many at Christendom College have been praying for you all!
Deanna Turner
March 20, 2012
I will greatly miss Bill and the wonderful example he gave to me. It was an honor and a blessing to help care for this wonderful man.
Mark & Pauline Gallagher
March 20, 2012
We were sorry to read of your loss. He was a great man. May he finally hear the words that we all long to hear. "Well done, good and faithful servant. Now enter into the joy of My Father's house."
Gabrielle Tuttle
March 20, 2012
May Our Lord and Our Beautiful Mother welcome Mr. McGraw to the Land of No Sadness. May They console and guide his family here on earth.....
Maggie Elliott
March 20, 2012
Bill will be missed, truly. I have tremendous respect for him, both in his life and the dignity he maintained through his suffering and death. May he, and all the faithful departed rest in peace.
Mary Anne O'Hare
March 20, 2012
A great man has gone on to His maker. His greatness is measured in his faith, his children, and his Catholic legacy. May God grant peace to his family as they cope with his loss.
March 20, 2012
All my prayers and love to Onalee and all the children and grandchildren. You were a blessed family, for sure, having your husband and dad. I remember how much I was impressed by his kindness and gentility when I first met him years ago.
With love,
Mickey Krebs
Andrew Armstrong
March 20, 2012
Dearest McGraws-Clarks, may that giant of a Man rest in God's Peace, and may Our Lady, Help of Christians, Virgo Veneranda, continue to guide and bless you and yours in the Abundance and Grace of Her Holy Son, Our Lord and Savior
Maria Cunningham
March 20, 2012
Dear Onalee and all the family,
My thoughts and prayers are with each of you during this difficult time. Your family has been a huge blessing to me for the last 25 years. God bless you all!
Maria Cunningham
Gerry Zapiain
March 19, 2012
The Zapiain family expresses its sincerest condolences to the McGraws. We will always remember you and the important role you played in our coming together. Our thoughts and prayers are with you especially at this time.
March 19, 2012
I am very sorry to hear about the death of our friend Bill McGraw. This is very sad news for our family, whom have all been friends of the McGraws for a long time. We will miss him. We pray for the repose of his soul, and offer our prayers and sympathy to the entire McGraw family. God bless you all.
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