Larry Graff obituary
Posted: Wednesday, Aug 29th, 2012
BY: Atascadero NewsA memorial service for Larry will be held at noon on Thursday, Aug. 16 the Church of Latter-day Saints of Jesus Christ in Atascadero.
ATASCADERO - Larry Lee Graff, 60, of Atascadero died on Aug. 11, 2012, ending his long and hard-fought battle to regain his health at Twin Cities Community Hospital in Templeton.
Born in Seattle, Wash., in May 1952, Larry lived a full and fascinating life. Larry was adopted at birth by Kenneth and Mary Graff and raised as the oldest of four children in Woodland Hills. He did not discover he had been adopted until he was contacted by his five older biological siblings four decades later.
At an early age, Larry realized that he had a gift for photography and became a professional photographer while still in high school. After his high school graduation, he served a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Belfast, Ireland. He loved the Irish people and spoke often of his experiences there.
Larry always had big dreams and was involved in a dizzying array of careers and occupations over the course of his life. He worked as a special effects camera-man for the movie business, ran an independent newspaper, owned a satellite business, sold exotic cars, opened an insurance agency, earned his auctioneers certificate, served as president of the Charles Paddock zoological society, and worked extensively in marketing, sales and Internet web design.
Though he enjoyed his work, Larry's true love was for his family. He married his sweetheart, Marti, in 1979 and shortly thereafter they moved to Templeton and ultimately had eight children. Larry took great delight in seeing his children grow and become successful, independent adults.
In his final years, Larry experienced a great change of heart and worked diligently to become the man he knew he had the potential to become. He was known to be soft, teachable, humble, repentant and kind, and spoke often of his strong testimony of Jesus Christ. He will be greatly missed.
He was preceded in death by his adoptive and biological parents. Larry is survived by his wife of 33 years, Marti; children, Erin (Mark), Sean (Paula), Kira (Stewart), Colleen (Andrew), Katie (Seth), Lauren (Dylan), Ian and Daniel; grandchildren, Aubree, Quentin, Killian, Bryce, Kylee, Anna, Thane, Elizabeth, Tyson, Piper, three soon-to-be born grandsons and one baby-gender yet unknown; and siblings, Rick, Susan, Lynette, Penny, Randy, Betty Ann, Deanna, and Kat.