Peter H. Graham

Peter H. Graham age 77, of Missouri Valley, Iowa passed away on Tuesday, February 26, 2019 at Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Peter H. Graham, long time journalist, newspaper editor and columnist, passed away Tuesday, February 26th at Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs, Iowa at the age of 77. He was born into the long time newspaper family of Carl C. Caswell and Hazel Gates Caswell, his Grandparents. His mother was Dorothy L. Caswell Graham and his father was Charles A. Graham all of Clarinda, Iowa. He was born at the Clarinda hospital on November 3rd, 1941. His younger brother is Jonathon C. Graham. When his family lived in Clarinda, he helped his parents at the Graham store. He grew up in Caldwell, NJ, and graduated from Grover Cleveland High school in 1960. After attending college for a year and graduating from RCA Institutes in New York, NY he joined the U.S. Army in 1964. He served a one year tour of duty in Korea, during the Vietnam War. Peter reached the rank of specialist 5th Class Sgt. He was honorably discharged in June of 1967. Peter then enrolled in Bloomfield College in Bloomfield, NJ for the next three years. He was married on August 5th, 1967 to Dorathea (Dottie) Rebecca Reenstra at the First Presbyterian Church in Caldwell, NJ. The couple moved to Malvern, IA the Spring of 1970. They worked at the Malvern Leader as reporters and columnists and Dottie was a typesetter. They then bought the paper in the Spring of 1974 and the Treynor Record in 1975. They then bought the Tabor Beacon Enterprise in 1978. They have two children, Kela Kristen Graham who was born November 24th, 1973 and and Casey Aaron Graham, born May 18th, 1979. They were both born in the Clarinda hospital. Kela graduated Missouri Valley High School in 1992. She was married on February 14th, 1993. She received a medical office certificate from the Nebraska College of Business in 1995 and then received her Bachelor’s Degree in Library Science and Media, in 2018. Kela works at the Missouri Valley Public Library. Casey graduated Missouri Valley High School in 1997 and has been a loyal employee of Meyers Carlisle Construction Company in Omaha, NE for over twenty years, working on hospital projects. He lives with his significant other Heidi and beautiful fur baby Bellarsario in Omaha, NE. On July 25th 1993, Peter’s beloved Grandson Michael Payne Hytrek, was born. He was born at Immanuel Hospital in Omaha, NE and was the light of Peter’s life. Michael graduated Missouri Valley High School in 2011, attended Iowa Western College and lives in Denton, Texas with his significant other, Lizz. He is pursuing a career in photography. He loved his son, daughter and grandson and was a wonderful father and grandfather. He also loved animals from an early age. He cherished his “fur babies.” He loved to read, write, and he loved politics. Dottie was publisher of the Beacon Enterprise and Peter was publisher of the Malvern Leader and Treynor Record. They sold the papers in 1983, and moved to Missouri Valley, Iowa. Peter was initially in advertising and then became Editor of the Missouri Valley Times News. Dottie was the assistant editor. Peter acted as a mentor not only to his children and grandchild, but several sports writers. Both Peter and Dottie won awards from the Iowa Press Association for Photography, news stories, editorials., and for columns. Dottie won two awards for best news story and best environmental reporting for the Leader. Dottie retired in 2000. Peter went on to have a 50 year career and wrote a syndicating farming column entitled Farming and Your Freedom. The column was syndicated to 24 newspapers in Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska. Peter delighted in playing Santa Claus for the children at parties and parades. He was on the board and then became chairman of the board for Crossroads of Western Iowa, served on the board of the Religious Museum, Rand Center and the Watson Station. He retired from the newspaper in 2010 and became a SWITA bus driver until 2014. He is survived by his wife, daughter, son, grandson and fur babies. He was proceeded in death by his parents. He will be greatly missed by everyone who ever knew him and especially by his family. In Loving Memory Of Peter H. Graham Born November 3, 1941 Clarinda, Iowa Entered Into Rest February 26, 2019 Council Bluffs, Iowa Celebration of Life Service 3:00 p.m. Saturday, March 9, 2019 Christian Church Missouri Valley, Iowa Officiating Pastor Ken Fairbrother Music Selections “Memories” (The Way We Were) “Amazing Grace” “In The Garden” “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” Final Resting Place Omaha National Cemetery Omaha, Nebraska (At A Later Date) All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all. Cecil Frances Alexander 1818-1895

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