Gene McGraw
What do you remember about Gene? Share your stories and photos here, and invite others to come share their memories.
K.E. "Gene" McGraw, 88, passed away on Dec. 9, 2020 after a brief illness. He and his wife Mary were cottage owners in Lake City since 1970 and enjoyed many years together with their family on the shores of Lake Missaukee, until her passing in 2017.
The family grew over the years from Gene and Mary's two children ? Scott and Shanna ? to 12 with their families adding to the number. Lake Missaukee meant so much to Gene and his family over the years. Spending summers on Lake Missaukee as the kids were growing up, skiing both on Missaukee's glassy waters and down the snowy slopes at Missaukee Mountain, learning to golf at Missaukee Golf Course, listening to the bands play at the Rustic Inn, raking leaves every fall, ice skating on the lake with our homemade ice rink, evenings at the Williard House, going to the Greatest Fourth in the North and more.
The family moved over the years throughout Michigan as Gene climbed the ladder at Consumers Power Company. From Saginaw, to Pontiac, to Kalamazoo, to Jackson and then retirement in East Lansing, but the cottage was always "home."
Gene was an avid bird watcher and spent hours during the first years on Lake Missaukee looking for the nest of a pair of eagles he kept spotting around the lake. He found the nest and spent the next 35 years or so hiking back to the swampy nest to watch the eagles ?- summer, winter, fall or spring. We still spot the eagles occasionally, but Gene hasn't been able to figure out where they relocated to about 15 years ago.
The cottage started with a small two-bedroom shack in the early years, which was remodeled and added on to over time. But in 1999, Gene and Mary decided larger "digs" were necessary and tore down the old place to handle the family gatherings since then. Going from 700 sq. ft. to the new larger 2600 sq. ft. version has made get-togethers much more enjoyable.
Lake Missaukee meant so much to Gene, who was the ultimate "family man" trying to create memories for his family. He was Clark W. Griswold before there was a Clark W. Griswold. The family plans to continue creating new memories at Lake Missaukee for many more years to come.
A private ceremony was held in December at the cemetery. Arrangements are by the Estes-Leadley Greater Lansing Chapel. For a complete obituary, please go to www.EstesLeadley.com.