Jim Graham ’51 died in a one-car auto accident on May 20, 2001. The accident occurred in Montana only a few miles from the site of an accident that took the life of his son, Ben, 16 years earlier. Jim had spent that day at The Ben, one of two golf tournaments held each year in memory of this son who had been an All-American golfer for three years in college.
Shortly before leaving, Jim had told his three sons, who were with him at the tournament, that this had been the happiest day of his life. His reason was that two of his sons, Steve and John, had won The Ben, Steve winning the amateur portion and John the professional. John’s victory was accomplished while breaking the course record by two strokes with a 63.
Jim was a 1951 pre-med graduate of Ohio Wesleyan. He then completed doctoral studies in medicine at Ohio State Medical School. From there he interned in Long Beach California, served a tour in the U.S. Army, completed a residency in Tacoma, Wash., and moved to Libby, Mont., where he opened a general practice and raised his four boys. After his boys were grown Jim left his practice in Libby and joined a clinic in Corvallis, Ore. Then three years ago he retired.
He is survived by his 99-year-old mother Gladys (Dayton, Ohio), his wife Judy (Corvallis), siblings Ben (Dayton, also a Beta at Ohio Wesleyan, class of 1952), Joan (Durham, N.H., Ohio Wesleyan, 1954), and Ellen (Orient, Ohio), his sons Jim (Idaho Falls, Idaho), John (Idaho Falls), and Steve (Gaston, Ore.), Judy’s son Leigh (Corvallis) and seven grandchildren.
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