Phyllis May Howes McGraw

McGraw, Phyllis May (Blackwell), age 92 of Dayton, passed away on November 4, 2014. She was born May 19, 1922 in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada to Sarah (Howes) and John Blackwell. She was preceded in death by her husband, Carl D McGraw; 3 brothers: Allan, Ivan, and Ernest Blackwell, and has one surviving brother, Gordon Blackwell; nephew John (Linda) Blackwell, of Penticton, British Columbia, a niece Linda Jarvis of CA and nephew David (Diane) Blackwell of CA. Phyllis held an executive position with a major national rail road company for several years before graduating from Olivet University in Kankekee, IL in 1955 as a music major with piano as her instrument. She was Secretary of the Music Club of Dayton and was associated with the Dayton Symphony and taught piano locally. In 1956, Phyllis married Carl D McGraw, of the Alfonso and Laura McGraw family. She and Carl were members of Faircreek Church in Fairborn. Phyllis is survived by 2 step children, Sandra McGraw Koewler of Lebanon, OH, and Susan Harrison McGraw (Greg Erickson) of CA; one step daughter-in-law Nadia McGraw; brother, Gordon Blackwell of Penticton, British Columbia; niece Linda Jarvis of CA, nephew John Blackwell of British Columbia, sister-in-law Veralee McGraw; 6 step grandchildren: Beth (Jim) Wells of VA, Jennifer Kemmitt (Ken Nolen) , Alicia Kemmitt (Esteban del Rio) and Daniel Patrick Kemmitt, all of CA, and John Anthony McGraw, and Robert Patrick McGraw; step great-grandchildren Joshua, Megan, Brianna, Grant, Julia, Lucia, and Ida. Funeral Service will be held at 11AM on Saturday, November 15, 2014 at Tobias Funeral Home, Belmont Chapel, 648 Watervliet Ave. with Pastors Greg Trout, Jim Mullholand and Jerry Bock officiating. Interment will follow in Miami Valley Memory Gardens. Visitation will be from 10AM until the time of service Saturday at the funeral home. Memorial Contributions may be sent to the Alzheimer’s Association.