Virgil A Graham
Virgil A. Graham
July 4, 1926 — December 3, 2019
Virgil A. Graham, 93 of Kingsland, Texas, passed away Dec. 3, 2019. Virgil was born in Eola, Texas on July 4, 1926.
Mr. Graham proudly served his country in the United States Navy during World War II. After high school, at only 17, he felt the call to serve. It took some time to convince his father to sign the paperwork for his underage enlistment, but he finally did. Virgil found himself as a crew member on the USS LCT 600.
These boats were a landing craft that could deliver tanks and Marines to shore for battle. During the invasion of Normandy, on Omaha Beach Virgil was tasked with working the ramp that dropped down to the beach to let the tanks off. After the tanks unloaded, he and the crew would courageously run out on the beach, pick up the dead and wounded and transport them back to a larger ship that was out to sea.
On one of the many trips to the beach the LCT 600 was hit by enemy missile fire. Virgil was thrown to the back of the landing craft and sustained a fractured back that would go undiagnosed for two weeks. Virgil was a very humble man and rarely if ever spoke about the events that transpired that day.
After his time in the Navy, he went to work as a service station attendant for a short time before starting his career with Granny Goose Foods. He started in maintenance and worked his way up to management in the company. His time with Granny Goose had him and the family on the move. He worked in Montreal, Oakland, Anaheim, and Honolulu. When he retired, he found his home in Kingsland, Texas in the Texas Hill Country.
Virgil was a member of the Buchanan West Baptist Church and the Kingsland Lions Club. Virgil spent many hours volunteering with the Lions, many memories were made with the grandchildren volunteering and picking up litter on the highway. He enjoyed the task of mowing lawns. He would mow the six acres at the church, his yard, and other yards in the neighborhood whether he knew the landowner or not. His favorite pastime was spent with his grandchildren. He loved to tell jokes, pull pranks, and get a laugh at the expense of others. In a loving way of course.
He is survived by his “other daughter” Janice Zimmermann of Kingsland, Texas; grandchildren, Ann Herrera, Elena Garcia and husband Chuck, Margaret Herrera, Louie Herrera, all of California, and Kathryn Fisher of Kingsland, Texas; great-grandchildren, Christopher and Chucky Garcia, Ashley and Sydney Deffner, Michael Gonzalez, Anthony Chavez, Chelsea Segovia and husband Cirilo, and David Graham Fisher; great-great-grandchildren, Aicia (his twinkle toes), Avan, Abram, Emery, Oliver and Olivia.
Virgil is preceded in death by his beautiful wife, Billie Ruth Graham; daughters, Carol Sue Morgan, Charlotte Graham, Shirley Clark; and one grandson, Jack
Serving as pallbearers will be David Graham Fisher, Chucky Garcia, Cirilo Segovia, Chuck Garcia and Dean Holley.
Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019 at the Buchanan West Baptist Church in Buchanan Dam, Texas with the Reverend John Taylor officiating. The Highland Lakes Honor Guard will provide military honors. Burial will follow in the Eden Cemetery in Eden, Texas. An online guest register may be signed at PutnamCares.com
Funeral arrangements made by Putnam Funeral Home and Crematory, 145 Texas Avenue, Kingsland, Texas 78639. (325)388-0008.
