Charles Wayne Graf

Chuck was born & raised in Onaga, Kansas to parents Ellen & Ted Graf. He grew up with two older brothers, Jerry & Larry; plus many cousins, 2nd cousins, & even a double cousin, Daryl Graf.
Chuck graduated from Onaga High School in 1969 & went on to NCK in Beloit, Kansas where he graduated in welding working for several companies before running his family's bar & grill, aka: "Ted's Grill."
His first love was always hunting since his childhood; be it deer, quail, coyotes, rabbits, or frogs, you name it! In his late 20s his dream job unfolded for him when a close friend, Jim McDonald, told him that the government hired & paid coyote hunters to hunt coyotes in Wyoming, so Chuck loaded up his truck & moved to Wyoming! He relied on his welding skills to survive until the opportunity came for him to hunt coyotes professionally. Chuck had countless friendships with ranchers who really appreciated him lowering their livestock depredation.
Wyoming is where he also met his wife, Heather, & together they helped raise their four children, Hope, Heather May, Scott, & Kyle & were blessed with three grandchildren, Raynie, Adrienne, & Spencer.
Chuck worked on several wildlife projects to help his county & state travel bureau industry by increasing wildlife numbers. He took part in tri-county projects to record rabies, giardia, & plague numbers for coyotes, & also bait stations for skunk overpopulation areas. He also trapped raccoons & skunks for his county's ranchers & neighbors that were a nuisance, often releasing them far from people. He assisted in different county projects including trapping troublesome black bears & mountain lions. He flew in a two-man Super Cub, or Husky plane as the gunner; often 40 feet off the ground at 100 mph! Amusement parks held no thrill for Chuck! Heather often described it as duct tape & baling wire in the sky, & prayed A LOT for her husband's safety.
Besides being an avid coyote hunter, Chuck hunted elk every fall, always bringing home a bountiful supply of meat for his family. He continued hunting deer, antelope, & rabbits as well. He had even gone on an Alaskan adventure with his friend, Gary Lawrence, enduring a week of rain & cold with a hunting guide who just about starved them to death with repetitious "Mountain House" brand powdered chicken. Unfortunately, no moose or wolf were taken or harvested.
After 40 years of hunting coyotes for the federal government, Chuck retired. He & Heather took off in their RV & enjoyed traveling until diesel prices kept them stationery in Chuck's home town of Onaga which was an enjoyable three years for them.
After overcoming lung cancer in 2013, cancer raised its ugly head again in 2023 in Chuck's other lung, but this time, it took his life & presence from many family & friends besides his wife, Heather, of 36 years, who held him in her arms until his last breath at home during hospice care. Heather describing it as a beautiful thing to witness Chuck's face light up as he went from her presence & embrace to Glory, into the arms & presence of Jesus.
Fly high, Chuck!