Bill was born September 7, 1932 in Covington, Kentucky to Earl and Betty Graham. They moved to Cincinnati, Ohio where Bill attended Assumption Church and Elementary School. At Purcell High School, he was a member of the 1949 State Champion Football Team, considered the best Ohio Schoolboy team ever. Bill was a 1955 graduate of Miami University and a member of Delta Tau Delta fraternity, where, quarterbacking the Delt interfraternity football team, he earned the nickname “Otto”. Bill was elected homecoming king. At Miami, he met the love of his life, Anne. They married in 1956 while he was serving as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corp.
After military service Bill and Anne settled in Glenn Ellyn, Illinois where he began his sales career in the chemical and plastics processing industry. In 1963 Bill accepted the position of VP of sales for a small manufacturing company, Monovalve Corp., in Houston, Texas, a place he always believed God meant his family to be.
In 1967 he joined Mercer Engineers, a manufacturer’s representative, as a sales engineer. Over the years he rose to President and Owner of what had become one of the largest agencies of its kind in the Southwest. He was active with the company until his death.
In the Fall of 1966 Bill began his football coaching career with Spring Branch Memorial Sports Association. His career would span 21 years and impact over 400 local boys, many of whom consider Coach Graham to be the best coach they ever had. Bill’s youth coaching legacy lives on as his sons and many of his former players continue to coach in SBMSA. Bill received the first Legends of SBMSA award. In 2023 SBMSA Football awarded the first annual Bill Graham Sportsmanship awards to players showing the values Coach Graham inspired in his players.
Anne and Bill joined the Holy Spirit Episcopal Church in 1987 where they found great fellowship and friends. Bill served on the vestry and supported many church initiatives.
Bill is preceded in death by Anne, his beautiful wife of 44 years. He is survived by his son, Murphy and wife Ann, daughter Julie Gibson and husband Mike, son Johnny, son Barney and wife Amanda, daughter-in-law Mari; grandchildren, Wes and wife Emily, Stuart and wife Caitlin, Dylan and wife Sammie, Graham and wife Megan, Michael, Kirk, John Paul, Sophie, Berkley and Sally Anne; great-grandchildren, Amelia, Regan, Cooper, Colton, Owen, Ruthie and Alex. Bill’s family is grateful for the love and care of Mercedes Simms.
Visitation will be at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home on Tuesday, June 11 from 4-8 pm. Memorial Service will be held at Holy Spirit Episcopal Church at 10:00 am on Wednesday, June 12. Bill will be laid to rest at a graveside service for family and close friends next to Anne at the family farm in Halletsville.
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