Ronald Dean Graham

Ronald Dean Graham, the son of Wesley James and Lydia (Jensen) Graham, was born March 4, 1939, in rural Audubon County east of Exira, Iowa and died October 10, 2021, at the Exira Care Center in Exira at the age of 82 years, 7 months, and 6 days.

Ron was baptized and confirmed at the Exira Lutheran Church in Exira, Iowa. He attended the Exira Community Schools graduating with the High School Class of 1957. During high school Ron played baseball, football and basketball, and worked part time at the local locker plant where he learned the meat business. After graduating from high school Ron loaded up the family car and trailer and with his mother, brother Darrell and sister Rae Jean moved to San Lorenzo, California where his father had found employment. Ron worked at a warehouse for Safeway Stores egg department for two years then transferred to Safeway Stores as a meat cutter. Several years later he became the Meat Department Manager and oversaw the operations of four stores.

In 1964, Ron was united in marriage to Betsy Jondle in Concord, California and made their home in San Ramon, California. They were blessed with two children Ronald, Jr., and Deborah. Ron enjoyed taking the family camping, water skiing, snow skiing, to Disneyland, family reunions in California and Iowa, and attended many sports games.

In 1967, Ron became a patrolman for the Oakland California Police Department. After two years he joined the Oakland California Fire Department where he was promoted to Engineer and drove the Fire Engine and operated the 1250 gallon-per-minute pump at the fire scenes. Later he was promoted to Fireboat Captain and operated the City of Oakland’s fireboat, called The Hoga, and patrolled the Oakland and San Francisco Bay area. The Hoga was originally a tugboat which helped distressed ships during the attack on Pearl Harbor. In 1979 along with being Fireboat Captain he obtained his California real estate licenses and two years later became a real estate broker. Ron also served in the U.S. Army Reserves for six years (six months active duty and five and a half years reserve duty) and obtained the rank of Staff Sergeant, in charge of a Battalion Mess. He loved spending his time with family, extended family all over the country and in Denmark, and with great friends. His marriage ended in the mid-80s and with his children out of the house he started spending more time travelling the world and serving the community. Ron retired from the Fire Department in 1994. Ron always loved the Exira area and made many trips back and forth between Exira and California and eventually moved back.

Ron was a generous man. He loved to be of service to people. He was a member of the Exira Lutheran Church and was active in the Danville, California Lions Club and the Exira Lions Club and he served a term as District Governor for Southwest Iowa. He was a member of the Exira City Council and was elected the Mayor of Exira. He was also an active member of the Exira American Legion. Ron enjoyed traveling both internationally and domestically with his long-time companion Trudi Crosby who also grew up in Exira and he had been with since 1999. He enjoyed camping, reading, biking, public speaking, eating ice cream and steak, hunting, playing cards, and always had a passion for cars.

Preceding him in death were his parents Wesley and Lydia Graham and his infant brother Kenneth Lee Graham.

Survivors include his long-time companion Trudi Crosby of Omaha, Nebraska; his children Ronald Dean Graham, Jr. and wife Heidi of San Ramon, California and Deborah and husband Tim Fitzgerald of Cumming, Georgia; his four grandchildren Kristy Graham of Sonora, California, Haley and husband Alex Pacheco of Martinez, California, Megan Fitzgerald and Charlie Fitzgerald both of Cumming, Georgia; his brother Darrell Graham and Yvonne Barginand of Cottonwood, California, and his sister Rae Jean and husband Ron Sheffer of Napa, California; his nieces and nephews Dean Graham, Monica Graham, Rochelle Valenzuela, Ron Sheffer, Jr., and Scott Sheffer; great nieces, great nephews, Trudi’s family, other relatives and many friends.

The family will meet with friends Thursday evening October 14, 2021, from 5:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. at the Kessler Funeral Home in Exira, Iowa. Funeral services will be conducted by Pastor Steven Frock on Friday morning, October 15, 2021 at 10:30 A.M. at the Exira Lutheran Church. Interment will be in the Exira Cemetery. Memorials are preferred to the Exira Fire Department in Ron’s honor. The honorary casket bearers will be Larry Johnson, Rich Griffin, Bob Powers, Stephen Nancarrow, Dale Huegerich, Kent Paulsen, Clark “Sam” Kauffman, Ron Parker, Don Parker, Richard Jorgensen, Herb Wahlert, and Gail Petersen. The casket bearers will be Ronald Graham, Jr., Tim Fitzgerald, Charlie Fitzgerald, Dean Graham, Tim Barry, and Sean Barry.

The funeral service will be livestreamed on KESSLER FUNERAL HOMES INC. Facebook page. To get there, log into your Facebook account (you will need one to view the service), search for and navigate to the KESSLER FUNERAL HOMES INC. Facebook page, and at the time the service goes live, it will populate in the timeline. You may also scroll to the bottom of our homepage at www.kesslerfuneralhomes.com page and click the Facebook logo to be taken directly to our page. If you experience difficulties viewing the broadcast at the time of the service, the recording will remain on our Facebook page for additional viewing opportunities.