Anthony Joseph Graybosch

July 15, 1949 – September 29, 2026

Anthony J. Graybosch, retired Professor of Philosophy at California State University, Chico, died on September 29, 2026, at Wilcox Memorial Hospital in Lihue, Kaua’i. He was 77.

He was born on July 15, 1949, in Bay Shore, New York, the oldest of eight children of Anton and Ellen Graybosch. He spent four years at St. Columban’s Seminary in Silver Creek, New York, before earning his BA from Fordham University and his PhD from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.

He met his wife, Divna, around Valentine’s Day in 1976, when they crossed paths in a Manhattan office building and he asked her out. They married that July, and they were partners in many travels, in raising their two sons, and in building a life. They celebrated 50 years of marriage this past July.

At Chico, he taught Ancient, Modern, Analytic, and American Philosophy, along with a course on Moral Issues in Parenting. He served as a Fulbright Lecturer three times: at Tel Aviv University in 1990, Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest in 1991, and the University of Gdańsk from 1997 to 1999. He wrote and edited books, including The Philosophy Student Writer’s Manual, and many articles on applied ethics, social philosophy, and epistemology.

After retiring, he moved to Kaua’i, where he lived for the last ten years of his life. He loved farming and gardening, and he enjoyed teaching a few semesters at Kaua’i Community College. He loved music, especially early blues and rock and roll.

In most situations, you would hardly guess he was a scholar. He rarely talked about himself and was genuinely interested in getting to know everyone he met. He was an excellent listener, remarkably funny, completely dependable, and always present, with unerring advice. He put his family first, making every decision with them in mind, and he was eager to spend time with his sons and grandchildren. His family loved him dearly, and he returned that love tenfold.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Anton and Ellen Graybosch, and his brothers David and James Graybosch.

He is survived by his wife, Divna Graybosch; his sons, Anthony (Nena) Graybosch, Benjamin (Saori) Graybosch, and Charles (Christine) Graybosch; his brothers, Gary (Louise), Robert (Brigid), Francis (Debbie), and Eugene (Mary) Graybosch; his sister, Leah (Robert) Segarra; and five grandchildren.

Friends may visit the family on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at St. Raphael Catholic Church in Koloa, Kaua’i. Visitation begins at 9:00 AM, and Mass will be celebrated at 10:15 AM. Burial will follow at Kalapaki Bay Memorial Park at 12:00 PM. Arrangements are by Borthwick Kaua’i Mortuary in Koloa.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Columban Fathers (Missionary Society of St. Columban), 1902 N. Calhoun St., St. Columbans, NE 68056, or online at columban.org.