John C. Grafft

John Charles Grafft, 82, of Deer Park, passed away peacefully on July 16, 2025. He was born on August 19, 1942, in Chicago to the late Bernard and Marie Grafft.

John grew up in Wilmette and Evanston, Illinois. He made a home in West Rogers Park in Chicago with his wife Bonnie and daughters, Mary Beth and Christine. With several places in between, John later settled in Barrington to raise his son, John. His last years were spent with dear friends at Deer Park Village Senior Living.

A man of immense intelligence, interest, and a tender heart, John will be remembered for his generosity, gracious manners, and love for his family.

John was a lifelong learner with an ever-curious mind. He had an early interest in electricity, which he learned about from his beloved grandfather. His fascination with the world and how things worked continued until the end. He knew at least a little something about everything and was always happy to share his knowledge. He was always looking to make something better or more effiecient.

John was a simple and humble man. His acts of kindness were quiet and pure. He had a unique sense of humor and executed sarcasm like no other. John assumed the best of everyone and never said a bad word about anyone.

A true animal lover, John shared his home and land over the years with a rotating menagerie of dogs, cats, chickens, ducks, raccoons, horses, bees, snakes, and even a hairless rat that slept on his pillow at night. He believed animals were a part of the family and often welcomed strays with open arms.

Always a polite gentleman, John was known to offer a chair, share a meal, or give an escort to the door, even when walking became more difficult. His charisma, intelligence, and kindness left a lasting impression.

Young at heart, John was happy to provide an adventure and fun for any child. He would pile the whole neighborhood of kids into the back of a pickup truck to take them out for ice cream or pancakes. When his granddaughters were born, he took things to the next level. He could make even a trip to the bank or a grocery store an experience. Rides on his ATV, golf cart, tractors, and cherry picker were commonplace. A sled hill, giant bouncy balls, a trampoline, and swimming pool were added to the fun. To the end, when he was no longer as spry as he used to be, John offered his young grandson rides on his walker.

John’s vocabulary was unparalleled. He slipped highbrow words into everyday conversation. In his last years, he worried that his vocabulary was not as sharp as it had once been. A sampling of words he used in his last month would say otherwise: vainglorious, defenestration, pulchritude, insalubrious, and unctuous, to name a few. He was the king of euphemisms and idiomatic expressions. He considered curse words a lack of vocabulary and would ask people to refrain from swearing in the presence of any of his family members.

John had an entrepreneurial spirit and started his first business selling greeting cards at the age of 10. In the following years, he babysat, cleaned horse stalls, worked for a funeral home, and did other odd jobs. By the age of 17, he started a business pouring concrete. John often skipped class in high school to supervise jobs. He soon thought of the ingenious idea of recycling and reselling the concrete he was replacing, which had not been done before. This business, Schreiber Materials, took him through his younger career. Displaying his varied interests, he also started Great Lakes Brush, a paintbrush manufacturing company. In mid-life, his focus shifted to real estate investment. When his trusted resource of local foreclosures would fold, he bought that company, Foreclosure Report of Chicago, and ran it, too. While he made a living flipping houses in foreclosure, his greater joy and fulfillment came from helping people stay in their homes. With no personal financial gain, John spent most of his time brokering deals with mortgage companies to allow people who were down on their luck to recover their homes. Hundreds of people were able to keep their homes because of his selfless service and astute business acumen.

A hard worker himself, John provided employment for hundreds of people and would give anyone work to help them get by—really…anyone. He offered assistance with no expectation of repayment to countless people over the years.

John’s legacy lives on the hearts of his family and all those he helped along the way.

John will be deeply missed by his loving children Mary Beth Grafft, Christine (Gerson Avila) Grafft, and John Grafft; grandchildren, Sadie (fiancé Michael Wattelet) Avila, Eden Avila, and Ezra Grafft; his siblings, Marie Grafft Ryan, Gael Grafft Moyers, James “Jimmy” (Heidi) Grafft, and Jeanne (Jack) Burke; his first wife, Bonnie Grafft, and second wife, Vera Grafft; and by many loving nieces, nephews, and friends.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his siblings, William “Bill” Grafft, Bernard “Buddy” Grafft Jr., Gregory “Greg” Grafft, and Margaret “Peggy” Grafft Gibbons.

Visitation will be Monday, July 21, 2025, from 4 PM until 8 PM at Davenport Family Funeral Home and Crematory, 941 S. Old Rand Rd., Lake Zurich, IL 60047. Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, July 22, at 10 AM at St. Francis de Sales Church, 33 S. Buesching Rd., Lake Zurich. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Placing Paws of Illinois.