Miller Graf

Miller Graf, age 92, longtime resident of Newburyport, passed away peacefully at home in the presence of his family and loving caregivers on Monday, November 6, 2023. He was the beloved husband, for 72 years, of Nancy (Stekionis) Graf.

Born in Danvers, MA, in January 17, 1931 to birthfather Dr Hugh O’Neill and Loretta Graf. Miller was adopted at 2 years old (along with his sister Christine MacBurnie) and raised by their true “Dad”, former Mayor Henry Graf Jr. and their mother Loretta.

Miller was a gifted student and entered McGill University as a pre med student (1946-1948) at the young age of 15. He eventually came home to continue his education at Boston University and graduated in 1952 with a BA in Geology. During this time, he worked in the family business, Graf Bros. Trucking. After a short time, in 1952, Miller decided to pursue his duty of serving in the USAF and entered Pilot Training in Malden, Missouri. He packed up Nancy, the love of his life, and off they went to pursue a life in the military. He clocked over 4000 hours of flying time in The Strategic Air Command in B-50, B-36 and B-52 aircraft. He held a variety of positions including Engineer, Navigator and Radar Bombardier.

After several moves around the country, Miller became stationed in Western MA at Westover Air Force Base. This was where he raised a family and spent the majority of time in the service. While there in 1966 he received an MBA degree at the USAF Institute of Technology at U. of Massachusetts. In between, he was assigned as the Commanding Officer of the 2004th Comm Squadron in Greenland on 2 different occasions after being promoted to Lt Colonel in 1968.... interestingly, an assignment that he loved and told stories about for the remainder of his life. While there, he entertained such royalty as Price Philip and the Danish Monarchy. In 1971 Miller was reassigned to Hansom AB, MA as the Systems Program Officer until his retirement as Lt Colonel in 1973.

After retiring, Miller went on to pursue scholastics and taught at several colleges such as Franklin Pierce, Lowell U. Northern Essex, Salem State, and Golden Gate U. at Pease, and NOVA in Fort Lauderdale, FL where he received his Doctorate in 1979. He eventually went on to found the Business Division at Bradford College where he served as Professor of Finance and Economics until the school closed in 2000.

Dr. Graf also authored a book on Polar Exploration entitled Arctic Jouneys: A History of Exploration for the Northwest Passage.

Miller was a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Beta Gamma Sigma honor societies, and a long standing member of several Masonic Bodies including St John’s Lodge and King Cyrus Chapter of Newburyport and Melha Shrine of Springfield, MA.

In recent years he had been an enthusiastic participant of The State Line Fish and Game Club of South Hampton, The Newburyport News and Views discussion group and The Civil War Roundtable of the Merrimack for which he authored several papers on Civil War battles and personalities.

A life well lived will always be treasured by his wife Nancy of Newburyport; his daughter Kerry Kristine-Anthony and her husband George Anthony of Quincy; his sister Christine MacBurnie of Newburyport and her adult children, Katrina and Nigel Taylor and Raymond Casioli, Jr.; his sister-in-law Mary Stekionis Cook and her children Thomas and Katie Cook and children of Georgetown, MA; dear friend Arthur Ober; and niece Martha Faes, husband Tom and children residing in Michigan as well as several nieces and nephews. It is our hope that at this time Miller has reunited with those who preceded him in death, son Richard Graf, best friend and brother-in law Dr. Thomas, Cook, West Newbury and cherished Uncle Arthur from Adelaide, Australia.

Lastly, the family will be forever grateful to Karen Gannon and her team at Excellus Home Care, especially Elly, Amalia, Mery and Ciara who held his hand, gave unconditional love and allowed him to remain at home.

Visiting hours will be Sunday, Nov. 12th at the Elliot, Woodworth & Rogers Family Funeral Home, 35 Green Street, Newburyport, MA from 2-4 pm with a family remembrance from 4 -5 pm. At the request of the family, burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Miller Graf can be made to Historic New England, C/O The Spencer Pierce Little Farm, 5 Littles Lane, Newbury, MA 01951.