Ray Graham

Ray Graham accomplished many things in his lifetime. In addition to being a World War II Veteran, he was a farmer, deacon in his church, biology and agriculture teacher, FFA Sponsor, master mechanic, welding teacher for adult education, and a good and loyal friend. Above all, he was a wonderful dad to his two daughters, Dian and Beverly, and his son, Philip, who died tragically when he was only 16. Ray was “Mr. Mom” to his children, even before the title was used and understood.

Thanks to the GI Bill, he went to college at WKU. He then earned his master’s degree from the University of Kentucky. He continually emphasized the importance of education to his daughters and not going to college was never an option. He saved money for their college careers from the time of their births. Dian and Beverly followed in Ray’s footsteps and attended WKU, which launched successful careers following graduation.

Although he could have been a mechanical engineer, Ray’s heart was in teaching. He taught at Larue County High School in Hodgenville, Kentucky, before moving to Milltown, Indiana. He retired from Crawford County High School, moved back to the family farm in Larue County, and continued farming.

As a person, he was honest and true to his word. One of his lifelong mottos was, “If you don’t have your word, you don’t have anything." Everyone who knew him knew that he always spoke the truth. He motivated his daughters and students to always do their best and to volunteer and serve. He believed a person should go above and beyond what was expected. He had a great laugh and loved a good joke. He was also an entertaining and exceptional storyteller.

Ray was proud of his legacy as a teacher. He once said, “Think about all the lives I’ve touched, and I made a difference.” His affect was profound. Former students encouraged their children to go to WKU because, “Mr. Graham said so many good things about Western, and he loved Western."

To further that mission, he established the Ray Graham Memorial Scholarship Fund before his passing in 1997, at the age of 72. The fund assists deserving seniors at Larue County High School who are planning to attend WKU in the fall. Recipients must also be majoring in science, math, pre-med, pre-engineering, teacher education, communications, or pre-law. Through this fund, Ray’s memory lives on in perpetuity.