Ellis "John" Graham

Ellis "John" Graham Jr., 78 of  Reading, passed away  Tuesday, November 29, 2016, at Newman Regional Health in Emporia.

John was born September 18, 1938, on the family farm near Arvonia, the son of Ellis and Essie Smith Graham. When he was five years old, the family moved to Reading. John attended Reading High School and graduated with the Class of 1956. He went on to further his education by attending Emporia State University and the Missouri School of Mines in Rolla, Missouri.

As a young man still in high school John began working with his father and learning to operate heavy equipment. This would become a passion and career that John would follow his entire life.  John would put his skills as a heavy equipment operator to good use while serving in the Army Reserves.

He married Gayle Woods in February of 1961. They later divorced.

John's memberships included the Reading Lyons Club, Lebo American Legion Post #323, KLICA and countless coffee groups.

In the 1960's John began his own business, "Conservation Contracting" which would take him to projects throughout Eastern Kansas. During the early years of his business, he worked in New Mexico when the ground was too wet to work here. John was active in his work until the day of his death.

In 1969 he moved into his current home just west of Reading. He was joined in marriage to Virginia "Ginny" Owens on March 26, 1994, in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.

He will live on in the hearts of his wife Ginny of their home; daughters, Kelli Jo Graham and her significant other Scott Doble of Omaha and Gretchen Graham Baijnauth and her husband Sean of Omaha; eight grandchildren, Claire, Andy, Aaron, Adam, Tyler, Moly, Jack and Tessa; five great-grandchildren, Oaklin, Skylin, Addison, Rossalyn and Dawson; stepdaughter, Dawna Owens of Topeka; stepsons, Robert Owens and his wife Melinda of Stafford, Kevin Owens and his wife Carmen of Havelock, North Carolina and Darin Owens of Springfield, Missouri; sister Mary Goodwin of Emporia and countless extended family and dear friends.