Mr. Warren R McGraw

BECKLEY, West Virginia Statesman Warren Randolph McGraw died at home on Flag Day, June 14, 2023, surrounded by loved ones. He was born & bred in Wyoming County, WV where his United Methodist parents encouraged him to find ways to help people. Warren believed that our nation's founding fathers based our government on religious fundamentals rooted in good service to humanity. He filled his years with doing the best he could every day to make the world a better place for people. He lived & died a thrilling life of public service ever since he started his law career in the deep south. He worked for the DOJ in the thick of segregation. He returned home to WV & ran for office in 1968 when, as a shy young lawyer, he bravely asked his fellow Wyoming Countians—hi, will you vote for me? He was ultimately elected to more public offices than any other West Virginian. County school board member, county prosecutor, House of Delegates member, State Senator, West Virginia Senate President, Chief Justice of the WV Supreme Court are some of the positions his constituents voted him into & trusted him to do the best he could to represent them & to do right by them. He retired on WV Day in June 2021 from his last elected position, Wyoming County Circuit Judge. He would have worked til the day he died if Parkinson's hadn't seized his body & caused him to say goodbye to the work he loved—service to others.

A strong, outspoken, passionate leader, Warren always said and did what he thought was right, no matter the personal cost to himself. People across the state routinely expressed to him and his family that they counted on Warren and trusted Warren. He treated people the same whether they were heads of state, heads of companies, US Presidents, International and local union leaders, rank and file union members, or cousins, family, or guys or gals next door.

Known as a champion of the working person, Warren stood up for the rights of working people. As a public servant, he did a lot of good for a lot of people. The United States President invited Warren to stand next to him when Mr. President signed a historic coal mining bill. Warren earned the invitation due to his relentless work in support of coal miner friendly and groundbreaking black lung legislation. Helping people was Warren's life blood. He was delighted to receive several awards which honored his career. These included the Caplan Award, the highest honor given by the WV trial lawyer's association.

Warren's potential top 2 fave accomplishments: #2: Establishment of schools that educated thousands of students, such as WV School of Osteopathic medicine & the newest location of Southern WV Community College & #1: When his children were grown, saying, "My children still come home," meaning that Warren's children and their families routinely gathered for holidays, vacations, and family dinners.

Even in the face of Parkinson's, Warren still beamed. He strutted as he shuffled. His wit and charm never failed him. He made his daughters laugh even as they took care of him until the waning days of his life. His light will shine on in all who knew him.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Peggy Shufflebarger McGraw, & survived by his brothers: Darrell V., II, Mark & Tim McGraw, & his children—Warren Randolph McGraw II, Helen Suzanne McGraw Dimlich (Andy), Rebecca Lynn Thaxton (Jeffrey), & his six grandchildren. He was crazy about them—Kindra McGraw, Conor Dimlich, Alayna Dimlich, MacKenzie Thaxton, Maverik Thaxton, & Warren R. McGraw III, aka, "Trey."

He will lie in state at the WV Capitol Complex, Main Hall, Cultural Center, on Friday, June 23, at noon. Service at 2 at the Cultural Center. In lieu of flowers, his family requests donations to the Michael J Fox foundation for Parkinson's research in Warren's name.