Graham Shirra

August 6, 1930 - February 10, 2025
Graham Francis Shirra, age 94, passed away on Tuesday, February 10, 2025 at the home of his daughter Julia Cole. He was born August 6, 1930 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, the eldest son of Francis Cowan Shirra and Gertrude Orth.
Graham attended schools in Brisbane, Australia. In 1952 he obtained a diploma in City and Regional Planning from the Queensland Institute of Technology. He later received Certificates in City Planning from International City Managers Association and in Traffic Engineering from Northwestern University. He served in the Australian and the Canadian Military Reserves while living in those countries.
He was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He married Marjorie Faye Fowler on November 21, 1951 in Brisbane, Australia. They emigrated to Canada to be sealed in the Cardston, Alberta Temple in 1953.
In Canada, Graham served as the Director of Town Planning for Edmonton and the Pembina Oil Fields. He also served as the Administrative Secretary of the Provincial Planning Advisory Board of Alberta. In 1957, Ogden City, Senator Watkins and Congressman Dixon arranged for him to immigrate to the United States and work for the city as Senior Planner and Traffic Engineer.
During his career, Graham was the Director of the Weber County Planning Commission and he organized the Weber Area Council of Governments. He was the Director of the Ogden City-Weber County Planning staff, and served on the Ogden City Landmarks Commission. He helped establish the Wasatch Front Regional Council and served as its part time Director from 1970 to 1972. For many years, he was the Consulting Planner to many cities in the Intermountain area. He was a founding member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.
Graham accomplished much in his long career and retired in 1992. He took pride in his work and was known to be a man of great integrity. His journey on this earth was one marked by hard work, dedication, love, compassion, and unwavering faith.
After retiring, he built two vacation homes, first on the Oregon Coast where he and Faye enjoyed being near the ocean for thirteen years and then at Bear Lake, Idaho for seven years before retiring to Kaysville, Utah. Graham and Faye loved traveling and seeing many different parts of the world. Mom could always talk Dad into finding another cruise to take.
Graham was a High Priest in the East Kaysville and Bear Lake Idaho Stakes and had earlier served in the Branch Presidency in Brisbane, Australia. He served as a Stake Mission President, Seventies Quorum President, and Stake High Council member. He and Faye served a mission at the Salt Lake Family History Center from 2001-2002. He was involved in family history research most of his adult life. He enjoyed reading, especially subjects relating to religion, history, astronomy and archeology.
His children and grandchildren will cherish their memories on the Oregon Coast- exploring grandpa's secret forest, whale watching through binoculars, flying kites on the beach, crabbing, boating, and dancing and marching in the living room with grandpa as grandma played the piano, and enjoying the sunsets over the ocean at the end of a wonderful day.
His grandchildren and great-grandchildren will really remember him as their beloved grandpa who was gentle and kind and loved to laugh and was always the peacemaker. We are grateful that he took us by the hand and walked through this life with us.
He is survived by his beloved wife Faye, a brother Cameron Shirra (LaRayne), and by his children, Diane (Bob) Miskin, Bradley (Susan) Shirra, Vanessa (David) Longfellow and Julia (Jeffrey) Cole. They have 17 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren.
Graham is preceded in death by a daughter Edith Faye, a son Michael Graham (Stacey) Shirra, grandsons Blake Miskin, Brandon Miskin, and Garrett Cole, and a granddaughter Tiffiny Shirra.
A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, February 15, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. at North Ogden 17th Ward, 386 East Elberta Drive, North Ogden, Utah 84414. A viewing will be held prior to the service from 11:30-12:30 p.m. also at the church. Interment will be held at Ben Lomond Cemetery.
Condolences, memories, and pictures may be shared with the family here on his Remember Page. https://www.myers-mortuary.com/obituaries/graham-shirra
Services Entrusted to Brigham City Myers Mortuary.