(February 13, 1925 – September 11, 2017)
Funeral Service:
Saturday, Sept. 16th at 10 a.m. at the Immanuel United Church of Christ in Herndon with Pastor Keith Reuther officiating
Burial:
Immanuel Cemetery (Evangelical Cemetery) east of Herndon
Memorial Fund:
In lieu of flowers, to the Herndon Alumni Museum, in care of the family or funeral home
Visitation:
Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Pauls Funeral Home in Oberlin
Family Service:
Friday at 7 p.m. at the Immanuel United Church of Christ in Herndon
In Loving Memory:
Donald Elmore Grafel was born Feb. 13, 1925, on his grandfather John Grafel’s homestead one and a half miles north of Herndon, in Richland township, to Henry and Myrtle “Mertie” (Bobinmyer) Grafel. He passed away Monday, Sept. 11, 2017, while working at the church cemetery northeast of Herndon.
Don was baptized and confirmed at the Immanuel United Church of Christ in Herndon and was an active member all of his life. In recent years he has led church services in his home. He attended Herndon schools and graduated from Herndon Rural High School with the class of 1943.
On July 25, 1948, Don married Beulah Gayle Franke at the Immanuel United Church of Christ in Herndon. They became the parents of five children: Keith, Kent, Kyle, Leah and Kurt and made their home on the Grafel homestead. Don enjoyed farming and raising cattle for many years and continued to help on the farm after retiring in 1990. He and Gayle moved to Herndon in 1987, and she preceded him in death on Sept. 17, 1991.
Don was united in marriage to Joan (Spiers) Nelson on April 16, 1994, at the Oberlin United Methodist Church. They made their home in Herndon and enjoyed family get-togethers and following their children and grandchildren’s activities, especially sporting events.
Don was also a very active and supportive member of the Herndon Community and Rawlins County all of his life. Don received a 65-year pin as a member of the Atwood Masonic Lodge No. 164 and was a member of the Herndon Chamber of Commerce. Over the years, he served as a mayor of Herndon, church council, 4-H leader, and board member for the Rawlins County Fair, USD 317, Rawlins County Hospital, Farm Bureau, and Rawlins County Extension. In addition, Don was an avid blood donor and spent summers organizing and coaching baseball and softball for the youth of the community for over 50 years.
He was personally driven by faith, family, living life to the fullest and serving others and will be remembered as a kind, caring and friendly man who was always smiling.
He is survived by his wife, Joan; five children and their spouses, Keith and Roma Grafel of Council Grove, Kent and Lorri Grafel of Culbertson, Nebraska, Kyle and Cindi Grafel of Herndon, Leah and Randel Atchley of Knoxville, Tennessee, and Kurt and Kristin Grafel of Natoma; three stepchildren, Steve and Susan Nelson of Oberlin, Nanette and Kevin Philbrick of Casper, Wyoming and Todd Nelson of Denver, Colorado; 18 grandchildren: Rusty Grafel, Egan Grafel, Teryn Grafel, Sydney Gulley (Xavier), Saeger Grafel, Kathryn Grafel, Kristyn Clapp (Kris), Karolyn Grafel, Benjamin Grafel (Mariah), Sarah Greenwood (Josh), Rachel Grafel, Christine Atchley, Emily Williams (Zach), Miriam Atchley, Moses Atchley, Keaston Grafel, Kayla LaToush, Kourtney Grafel; three step-grandchildren: Ryan Philbrick (Liz), Brett Philbrick (Brenna), and Makenzie Nelson; 18 great-grandchildren; one step-great-grandchild on-the-way; and many other relatives and friends.
In addition to his parents and first wife, Don was preceded in death by three sisters, Reva Grafel (infant), Virginia Portschy and Eunice Brenning; and a great-grandson, Jasper Kendall Grafel.