Longtime San Diego resident and founding partner of JGD Associates CPA passed away peacefully in the company of family at the age of 80. William “Bill” Graff was born in Orange City Iowa and grew up in Onawa, Iowa. After graduating from Onawa High School in 1957, he moved to Milwaukee to attend Marquette University. Upon completing a degree in accounting, Bill served until 1965 in the United States Navy as a Lieutenant overseeing Supply Management and learning crypto graphics. While in the Navy, Bill married his wife, Donn Mary Morton in 1963. Bill began his career at Arthur Andersen LLP, one of the “Big Five” accounting firms. After a short stay in big corporate America, Bill opened a small practice in Onawa, Iowa where his parents Clarence and Dorothy Graff resided. In 1973, Bill and Donn moved their four children, Nicholas, Cindy, Cris and Molly to San Diego, where he co-founded Jassoy, Graff & Douglas CPA in La Jolla. As the firm eventually outgrew its downtown La Jolla location, the partners moved the firm to the UTC area and renamed the firm JGD & Associates. JGD has grown to become one of San Diego’s top accounting firms. Bill retired from JGD in 2003 and kept a small practice up until 2019.
Bill’s passion was his family and a 37-foot fishing boat named “Das Graff Spree”, that he cherished tinkering with and restoring in his free time. Those knew him as Brother, Dad, as Uncle Bill, Grandpa or G-pop, all had their own uniquely special connection to him because that was his way of making them feel special in his presence. Bill is survived by his sister Joan Samson, brother Steve Graff four children, Nicholas, Cindy, Cris and Molly, along with his seven grandsons, Weston, Travis, Chase, Raven, Jett, Jasper & Davin.
Bill will be laid to rest at Miramar National Cemetery and a service and celebration of life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the American Cancer Society.
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