Albert W. Graff Jr.

Al W. Graff Jr., 82, formerly of Marshalltown, currently residing in Mesa, Arizona, died Wednesday, September 14, 2011, at the Banner Baywood Medical Center in Mesa, Arizona. Funeral services for Albert will be held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, September 22, at the Redeemer Lutheran Church. Visitation for Albert will be held from 5:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, September 21, at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home, where his family will be present to greet friends. Memorial contributions may be directed in his name to his family. For further information or to send a condolence please visit www.mitchellfh.com or call (641) 844-1234. Al was born on July 1, 1929, to Albert and Alma (Luttman) Graff on a farm in the Tama area. As a youth, he was active in 4-H and enjoyed showing his steers at the Iowa State Fair- which he never missed. He graduated from the Grinnell High School and farmed for many years in the Grinnell area and also worked for Poweshiek County Road Department. Al was married to Kathy Hanssen and to this union three children were born. They later divorced. In 1974, he was united in marriage to Phyllis Heil in Marshalltown. When moving to Marshalltown, he transferred to Marshall County Road Department and retired from there after 17 years of service.Al loved working in his flower beds, garden and lawn as well as raising African violets. He was quite skilled in wood-working and loved to refinish old furniture. He made many pieces of furniture from oak. After retirement, they enjoyed traveling and spent the winters in Arizona. In 2005, they made Mesa, Arizona their full-time home. Left to cherish his memory are Phyllis, his loving wife of 38 years, son Myron (Margaret) Graff of Osceola, Iowa, son Rick (Amber) Graff of Ft. Worth, TX, daughter Sally Graff of Irving, TX, step-daughters Kathy (Dennis) McCoy of Poland, Ohio, Lois (Kendall) Jensen of Marshalltown, Cheryl (Lowell) Miller of Chestnutridge, MO, step-son Scott (Noreen) Jurgensen of Niskayuna, NY, and grandchildren: Nicole (Andy) Jacobson, Ashley (Derick) Miller, Tanie (Kenny) Smith, Allison (Doug) Niedermann, Emily Jensen, Eric (Kristina) DuToit, Holly (Chad)Stoneking and eight great-grandchildren. In death, he rejoined his parents and two sisters- Deloris and Lorraine. Al will be greatly missed by family and friends that loved him as well as his loving pets Heidi and Patches.