Fred Andrew Graff

    Family and friends of Fred Andrew Graff are invited to attend a service celebrating his life at 2 p.m., Sunday, November 17, 2024 at the St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 1051 Twin Church Road, Knox.  Reverend Doug Dyson, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church will officiate over the service.

     Interment will follow in the St. Paul's Union Cemetery.      

Fred Andrew Graff passed away September 5, 2024 at his home surrounded by his loving daughters after a short and courageous battle with cancer.  He is now reunited with his wife and love of his life, Jeanne, who passed away just three months prior. 

      Born on October 26, 1933 on the family farm to the late Vern and Marion (Peterson) Graff, he was the last surviving member of his immediate family.  

      Fred and Jeanne were married for 71 years and were both recently honored as the Knox Horsethief 2024 Citizens of the Year, which Jeanne knew of before her passing.  Fred’s last hoorah was receiving the official honor, for them both, surrounded by their family and riding in the Horsethief parade, while holding Jeanne’s picture.  

    Fred was the pillar of his family, in the Knox Community, and to anyone who knew him.  He began his career as a mold maker with Knox Glass Company and retired as a professional photographer after turning his hobby of picture taking into his business, Photo/Graffs.  Fred was a 60 plus year member of the Knox Masonic Lodge and an active member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church.  Fred had many hobbies, but the two most important to him were guns and trains.  A very talented gunsmith, gun enthusiast, and skeet shooter, he carved his very own gun stock on a rifle he made and has loaded thousands of shells in his lifetime.  He was called on by many area farmers to keep the groundhog population at bay and looked forward to it every year.  When not working on guns, he was designing and building a very detailed G-Scale garden railroad, which he loved showing to anyone interested.  He truly was a jack-of-all-trades.

     It always made Fred proud to run into people from all over, even up until the day he passed, who remembered him as their wedding photographer or had taken their senior or family portraits.  Also, to commemorate their 70th wedding anniversary in 2023 and after holding on to it for more than 40 years, the family rose a toast to Fred and Jeanne from a bottle of Vaklovaliqueur given to him by the liquor company as a gift, since he created the mold template for the glass bottle at Knox Glass, which he kept for just the right occasion.      

     What Fred loved most was spending time with family around his fire pit and telling stories.  These memories will be forever cherished by his family that include: daughters Elizabeth Mays (David) and Janis Hook.  Grandchildren Justin Mays (Hope), Brittany Mays (Anneke), Marc Hook, and Todd Hook and great-grandchildren Reagan, Saydee, and Justin II.  He is also survived by a brother-in-law David Flowers and numerous nieces and nephews, who all held a special place in his heart.  He will also be greatly missed by his loyal companion, Daisie Mae.    

     He is preceded in death by his wife Jeanne, sister Barbara Graff, brother John Graff (Vaughne), sister Marjorie Meier (Merl), and son in-law, Ivan James Hook.  

     A celebration of life will be held at a later date at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church at the convenience of the family.  

     In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Clarion Forest VNA Hospice, 271 Perkins Road, Clarion, PA 16214 (cfvna.org), St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 587, Knox, PA  16232 or Tri-County Animal Rescue, 9562 Route 322, Shippenville, PA 16254 (tricounty-arc.org)

     Online condolences may be sent to Fred’s family at www.rupertfuneralhomes.com

     Arrangements are under the direction of the William N. Rupert Mortuary, Inc. of Knox.

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