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<em>William Alexander ‘Bill’ Graham </em>was born in Washington, DC to William A. and Beulah E. (Ragan) Graham. He spent his early years in Arlington, VA and developed an affinity for military life while a high school cadet at Washington-Lee High School. He moved to Vista, CA in 1947, and, when the Korean War broke out, he entered the Army as a private first class and served at Camp Cooke, CA. After passing the annual exam for the U.S. Military Academy, he entered West Point the following June.</p>
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Bill married Kathleen Kiefer in the Old Cadet Chapel on the day he graduated on June, 7, 1955. As a second lieutenant, he attended flight school in Texas in 1956. He received a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering from Virginia Tech in 1961.</p>
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During the Cold War, Bill commanded a small flight detachment out of Ankara, Turkey. He went on to serve two tours in Vietnam, where he was awarded numerous Air Medals, several Bronze Star Medals, the Purple Heart, and the Legion of Merit. In 1965, he attended the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and was a test pilot until he retired as a lieutenant colonel in 1976. He continued testing planes with Piper Aircraft in Vero Beach, FL before choosing to pursue a 15-year career as an investment broker. Bill and his wife moved to St. Augustine from Vero Beach in 2010.</p>
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Bill passed away on September 29, 2016. A memorial service was held at Glenmoor, in World Golf Village, on October 14, 2016. A graveside service will be held on October 6, 2017 at the West Point Cemetery.</p>
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Surviving family members include his wife of 61 years, Kathleen; their three daughters: Linda (Jeff) Wickham, Jennifer (John) Hulsberg, and Marjorie (Jack) Castagna: their six grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and his sisters, Helen (Dick) Butler and Marilyn (Mike) Huttleston.</p>
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<em>— Written by Bill</em></p>