Kay F. Graf, aged 81, passed away April 17, 2022, at her home in Lorain Township, Polk County.

Kay Frances Graf (nee Pratt) was born April 25, 1940, in Lorain Township, Polk County, WI to parents, Verl and Irene (nee Brunclik) Pratt and older brother, Lyle.

She started school at the Indian Creek Grade School and then eventually moving to the Frederic High School where she graduated in 1958. She then went to Teachers College in St. Croix Falls, WI where she graduated in 1960 and took a summer job at the High School in Frederic for the high school principal and stayed there in that position for 41 years. She loved all the kids that passed through her “lunch line” and her office. Great humor for her 40th birthday, she always said, “Life begins at 40” and someone had posted that all over the high school that year and Wendy got the kids in the lunch line to sing a ruckus happy birthday to her. She so enjoyed talking to “her kids” years following her retirement. She retired happily to sew, garden, and take care of her beef cattle and be home with her dog and cats.

Kay married the complete love of her life, John W. Graf, Jr, on March 7, 1960. They had a baby son, John William Graf III, born prematurely on July 11, 1960, and passed away on July 13, 1960. One of her favorite sayings about her son-in-law, Rodney, was that he was her son because of his birthday being July 12 and was also born in 1960. Then they had a daughter, Wendy Kay born July 17, 1962.

She was an avid vegetable gardener, flower gardener, sewer, and quilter. Which she sorely missed doing when macular degeneration affected her eyesight. She loved to dig in the dirt and make things grow. She also liked to can and freeze the products she reaped. Another favorite thing for her was dancing, she loved nothing better than a good polka and dancing that with her son-in-law.

She especially loved her granddaughters, Casey and Kathleen; they always brightened her day. They loved to spend time with grandpa and grandma. After grandpa passed in 1997, they spent a lot of time keeping Grandma company. They helped her garden and all kinds of fun grandma things. They had one thing in common, they were all voted to be a queen in high school, Kay was voted homecoming queen and the granddaughters were voted Winter Week queens.

Then the next big loves of her life came when her grandson-in-law, Jason’s son Cody came into her family and then following him were his two sisters, Morgan and Hannah. She was always so thrilled to see them. She also loved her grandson-in-laws, Jason and Ken.

Kay is survived by her daughter, Wendy Graf Jerry (Rodney); granddaughters, Casey Jerry Eggen (Jason), Kathleen Jerry Hartman (Ken); great grandson, Cody Eggen; and great granddaughters, Morgan Eggen and Hannah Eggen; cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Kay is preceded in death by her parents, Verl and Irene (Brunclik) Pratt; brother, Lyle Pratt; her husband, John Graf Jr; and baby son, John Graf III.

Services will be held at a later date.

Arrangements are entrusted to Rowe Funeral Home, and the Northwest Wisconsin Cremation Center in Milltown.

Last Update: Apr 26, 2022 1:05 pm CDT