Richard F. Graham

Richard F. Graham, Sr., 80, of rural Marseilles passed away Sunday, November 8, 2020, at OSF St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford.
 
A private family viewing was held. Funeral Mass will be held at Saint Columba Parish on Wednesday, November 18, 2020 at 11 o’clock in the morning.  Ottawa Funeral Home & Crematory has been entrusted with arrangements. 
 
Richard, known to his family and friends as Dick, was born May 24, 1940, in Ottawa to Frank and Thelma (Ricklem) Graham. He attended school at the one-room schoolhouse, Prairie Queen, and graduated from Marquette High School. At the age of 19 he married Cara Wawerski at St. Joseph Church in Marseilles. 
 
Dick was a lifelong farmer and worked at Libby Owens Ford for 43 years before retiring. He loved selling sweet corn with his children and grandchildren and watching old Western movies. He enjoyed taking his great-granddog, Phynn, for car rides to watch the horses. Dick was a member of the Knights of Columbus as well as a longtime member of LaSalle County Farm Bureau.  Dick was a loving family man and will be greatly missed by all who knew him. 
 
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Cara; four children, Richard (late Roxine) Graham, Jr. of Ottawa; Shelly Hillaker of FL, Rhonda (Wayne) Christensen of Ottawa, and Samantha (Brad) Haage of Ottawa; ten grandchildren, Taylor and Richard Graham, III, Skylar (Kathryn) Hillaker, Hannah (Chris) Jesse, and Travis Hillaker, Daniel and Kaitlynn Christensen, and Emma, Riley, and Owen Haage; five great-grandchildren, Wyatt, Paxton, Asher, Rebecca, and Henry; and his sister, Mary Ann Brockman and sister-in law Debra Graham.
 
He was proceeded in death by two siblings, Suzanne Dille and Frank Graham; two brothers-in-law, Paul Brockman and Dale Dille; and his great-granddog, Phynn. 
 
Pallbearers: Skylar Hillaker, Daniel Christensen, Travis Hillaker, Richard Graham, III, Riley Haage, Owen Haage, and Chris Jesse.
 
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family.

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