Obituaries

Leister F. Graffis, 98

Leister F. Graffis, 98, went to be with the Lord on Thursday, July 5, 2007 at The Glen at Willow Valley.

He was the husband of the late Marian D. (Ammann) Graffis, who passed away in 1996. Leister was born on May 7, 1909 near Green Valley, IL. He was a preschooler when his family moved to Walcott, ND in 1914. He finished grade school in the local school, and high school by correspondence from the American School in Chicago while working fulltime as a farm hand. He began college at North Dakota State School of Science in Wahpeton in 1934, majoring in Electrical Engineering. He taught Trade and Industrial Education for 4 years at the ND Training School.

He left North Dakota just prior to World War II to work at Lockheed Aircraft in Los Angeles, leaving there after Pearl Harbor to work as a radar engineer at the Presidio of San Francisco. He was inducted into the US Army Signal Corps in July 1942, and later received a commission at a Lt (jg) in the US Navy, where he received radar training at Harvard and MIT. He served four years in the Navy, being released in 1945 for inactive duty as a Lt. Commander. He started work for the Bendix Corp. in Baltimore in December 1945 as a radio engineer, retiring in 1972 as President of Bendix Field Engineering Corp.

Mr. Graffis was active in many professional, civic and church organizations throughout the Maryland area.

He and his late wife, Marian, resided in the Baltimore area from 1946 to 1986, when they retired to the Willow Valley Manor near Lancaster, PA.

He was the recipient of many honors and awards, including listing in Who’s Who in the East, Who’s Who in Engineering, Who’s Who is Commerce and Industry, and Who’s Who in Religion, plus government awards for public service during the Space Program, and the presentation of the Silver Beaver Award from the Boy Scouts of America. He was also a member of the F&A Masonic Lodge # 8 in Mandan, ND. He was also named Alumnus of the Year at North Dakota State College School of Science in 1997.

A man with a strong Christian faith as his foundation, Leister constantly strove to live his life as a humble servant for his Lord, and was a very active member of Grace Brethren Church at Willow Valley.

He is survived by 2 daughters, Beverly J. Graffis of San Francisco, and Elaine V.  married to William Lane of Sammamish, WA. He was preceded in death by his twin brother, Lester G., and a brother Marshall E. Graffis.

Friends will be received on Tuesday from 9-10AM at the Grace Brethren Church at Willow Valley, 300 Willow Valley Square, Lancaster, PA  17602, with the funeral service to follow at 10AM. Interment in Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens, 200 E. Padonia Rd, Timonium, MD, at 2PM. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions in Leister’s memory to Grace Brethren Church at Willow Valley.

Arrangements by the Charles F. Snyder Funeral Home, Lancaster, PA 393-9661.

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