Orestes Henry Graaf 1899-1927

GRAAF, GRAFF, POLLOCK, BARNUM

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 3/15/2011 at 20:14:21

Orestes Graaf Dies of Mastoid at St. Louis, Mo
Oresteres Graaf, 27, son of Mr. and Mrs. F. H. Graaf of this city, died at 10 o’clock Wednesday evening at Barnes hospital in St. Louis, after a three day illness due to a mastoid.

Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon in the Presbyterian church and burial was made at Oak Hill cemetery.

He was first taken sick a week ago Sunday night a few hours after he had participated in a church service in a St. Louis church. As physicians in the city were by giving aid to storm victims it was impossible to get medical aid until four hours after he was first stricken with terrific pain.

Physicians Scarce
It was impossible to get the services of a physician but for more than a short time it was thought that the doctor had relieved him but it was only a few minutes later that he was again taken with severe pain. A doctor was again procured after many hours, but it was too late to save his life.

Several years ago Orestes was operated on at the hospital in Iowa City for mastoid. It was necessary to operate so close to the brain that doctors did not predict complete recovery.
Orestes Henry Graaf was born on Oct. 13, 1899, at Estherville.

Undergoes Operation
He was graduated from the Estherville schools in 1917 and then spent one year at Ames, taking vocational training. He joined the Student Army Training Corps and at the close of his army experience spent nine months in an army hospital, where he underwent several serious mastoid operations.

He returned to school and attended Washington University at St. Louis three years and then returned to Estherville to work with his father.
On March 13, 1924, he was married to Miss Mary Lee Pollock of St. Louis, and shortly after the marriage accepted a position in the Iowa Savings Bank. Two years later he began to work for the Mississippi Valley Trust Co., of St. Louis and was promoted to head of the stock transfer department.

Was Mason
Orestes Graff was a member of the Masonic Order and was a Knight Templar and at the time of his death was a member of the Asclon Commandery of St. Louis. He was a member of the Presbyterian church and Sunday school. He was highly respected by all who knew him and while at Estherville made a great many friends.

He is survived by his wife, his father and mother, his brother, Frederick Graaf, and two grandmothers, Mrs. O. D. Barnum of Minneapolis, Minn., and Mrs. Margaret Graaf of St. Paul, Minn. (Estherville News, Estherville, IA, October 12, 1927)