Gerald R Graham Obituary
Gerald R. Graham, Jr., better known as "Gerry" to his family and friends, passed away peacefully at home in the early hours of September 1, 2024 at the age of 78. Gerry was a loving husband to Paula Jo Graham for over forty years, as well as a father of three children and a stepfather of two. Gerry was born in San Jose, CA at the original O'Connor Samaritan hospital located on West San Carlos and Race St. in 1946. He was raised with his brother and sisters in the orchards of Los Gatos, and as a child he attended St. Lucy's and then the inaugural class of St. Mary's Grammar School. He continued on to Bellarmine College Prep. for high school, graduating with the Class of 1964 and later joining the inaugural class of West Valley College in the same year. All the while through his early years Gerry worked at the family's business, Reed & Graham. Starting as a small boy pulling weeds along the fence lines at the yard with his brother Reed, and later as a young man driving the loaders and feeding the plant, Gerry had performed most every task at the company by the time he left for the service in 1965. Gerry served his country for four years in the United States Navy from 1965 until 1969. During that time, Gerry served two tours in Vietnam as a welder with the Navy Seabees (Construction Battalion, '67 '69). When he returned home from the war, he went right back to work for the family at Reed & Graham, continuing where he had left off. In April of 1976, Gerry started his own business, Graham Contractors, Inc. (GCI). He owned and operated GCI for over thirty years until he sold it to his son David Graham in 2018. In the mid 1980's, while still running and growing his own business, Gerry returned to the family business at Reed & Graham to assist in managing the company and its growth as well. In 1996, Gerry was named President and CEO of Reed & Graham, and he worked in those positions every day for the rest of his life. Gerry was a fan of many things, but his love of the San Francisco 49ers, the Oakland A's and the game of golf were his passions. Although Gerry was originally an Oakland Raiders fan back in the day, he switched his loyalty to the 49ers when the Raiders moved to L.A. in 1982. Gerry's passion and devotion to the San Francisco 49ers remained steadfast ever since. Those game days were his days. At a very young age Gerry was introduced to the game of golf by his father, however he did not start to play regularly until the early 1990's. As his love for the game grew, so did the lifestyle. He and Paula spent winters at their second home in La Quinta where he would golf daily, and where he formed a sizable group of close friends. Gerry will always be remembered for his compassion, his kindness and his famous quick wit. He will forever be missed by his "families" at Reed & Graham and Graham Contractors, his friends new and old, and especially his family at home. He leaves behind his children, Eric Graham and his wife Lucresia and their daughters Aurora and Miranda; David Graham and his wife Kristen and their children Nolan, McKinlay and Wyatt; Melissa Graham and her daughter Olivia; stepdaughter Stacey Rando and her husband Jim and their son Tyler and daughter Jacquelyn, as well as great-granddaughters Giuliana and Kynzee; stepson David McLean and his son Dawson; Gerry's sisters Nan Graham and her wife Carol, Jane Graham; and sister-in-law Mary Ellen Graham, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Gerry is preceded in death by his parents Gerald Graham, Sr., Anna Jane Reed and stepmother Allene Graham, his brother Stephen Reed Graham, Sr., his first wife Nancy Graham, and his grandson Joseph Rando. In lieu of flowers, a donation to a charity of your choice, or Bellarmine College Prep. in the name of Gerald Graham, Jr., would be greatly appreciated.
