Clarence Earl Graham, Jr.

Clarence Earl ("Jay") Graham, Jr., died Tuesday, February 11, 2014 at his home in Casper, aged 69. He had taught English, humanities, and philosophy at Dickinson State (ND) and Casper College.

Born and raised in the Denver area, he lived his early life in Edgewater, graduating from Jefferson High School. He started on three varsity teams, football, basketball, and baseball, earning all-conference honors as a pitcher. At Baker University (KS) Jay starred as Chris in the major production of Arthur Miller's All My Sons, won the Nicholson Poetry Award for his poem "Train", and earned the starting pitcher position as a freshman on Baker's baseball team.

He transferred to the University of Denver where he was elevated to the honors program and won a Ford Foundation Fellowship. His three degrees--B.A., M.A., and PhD--were all earned at DU.

In 1984 he married his beloved Susan Ratcliff, and together they begot seven children: Aaron, Iain, Owain, Douglas, Miriam, Rachel, and Rebekah.

During the last fifteen years of his life, Jay took his long time love of folk music out of his private study and played and sang at various bars and other venues, including several concerts for Artcore. His love of the Irish and Scottish songs earned invitations to perform at the Wyoming Celtic Festival, the Colorado Irish Festival, and many various pubs in the Denver area, especially during St. Patrick's Day week.

He is survived by his brother Steve and sister Susan, his uncle Bob Nylander, his uncle Darrell and aunt Jessica Summers, his uncle Gene Baginski and aunt Takeko, his wife Susan, their children, and one grand child, Alexi. He was preceded in death by his father Clarence, Sr., mother D. LaVon (nee Summers), brother Jeffrey Allen, and all grandparents.