Kathe Graf's Obituary
Graf, Käthe “Kathy”
Käthe "Kathy" Graf, 84, formerly of Toms River and Paramus, N.J., passed away peacefully at Villa Marie Claire Hospice on Wednesday, May 29, 2019.
Käthe was born July 3, 1934 in Armstorf, Germany to Hinrich and Anna (Mingst) Buck. Following the death of her father in WWII, in 1950 she and her family left war-ravaged Germany to start a new life in America. To help support the family, Käthe started working at age 16 and was proud to have worked at the iconic New York City landmark restaurant, The Rainbow Room.
It was in New York City where Käthe Buck met Johann “John” Graf at a German dance hall. John and Käthe were married on May 4, 1957 at Zion German Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brooklyn, N.Y. The couple settled in Paramus, N.J. to raise their three sons. Käthe was a devoted wife and mother who enjoyed gardening, bowling, ballroom dancing and traveling with John. Most of all, she loved looking after her four men.
Käthe was predeceased by her husband, John, and a son, Michael. She is survived by two devoted sons, Karl and Richard; a doting daughter-in-law, Jeannine (Carolan) and four cherished grandchildren: Kristen, John, Christine and Richard. She is also survived by her beloved brother and sister, Heinz Buck and Marga Conn; and several nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Villa Marie Claire Hospice Residence (www.villamarieclaire.org) or the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org).
A memorial service for family and close friends is scheduled for 2 pm on Sunday, June 30 at Nor-Bu Lodge of the Sons of Norway in Lake Telemark , NJ (Rockaway). The address is 21 Oslo Dr, Lake Telemark Rockaway, NJ 07866.
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