Natalie Joan Graham

Natalie Joan Graham passed away on Jan. 24th, 2020, in her home at Fox Hill Village, Westwood, MA, surrounded by her large and loving family. She was born to Fern Gibson Stolk and William Cornelius Stolk on March 21st, 1927 in Mt. Lebanon, PA, and grew up in Old Greenwich, CT, and Chappaqua, NY, where she attended Horace Greeley High School. She attended Smith College, graduating in 1949, and remained an active and devoted alumna and supporter.

After college, Natalie worked at Cornell Medical College, doing medical research, and lived in New York City. She married William James Graham on Feb. 17th, 1951. During much of their married life, Natalie and Bill lived either in Toledo, OH, or on the San Francisco Peninsula (first in Menlo Park and then in Portola Valley). In 2013, they moved to Fox Hill Village to be where many of their children and grandchildren live and to be near their family gathering place in Grantham, NH.

Natalie embraced outdoor living: she was an avid skier and skater, played tennis and golf, gardened, and hiked all over California and New Hampshire. She and Bill traveled often to Europe as well as to South America and Africa. She was very active in the communities she lived in: She was a docent at the Toledo Museum of Art and a board member at Sunset House; she volunteered at Allied Arts Guild and at the Eastman Lake Water Quality committee. She was involved for years with the Ecumenical Hunger Program of East Palo Alto and was passionate about their mission. She was on their board for 10 years and organized a local annual fundraiser for EHP that brought in tens of thousands of dollars every year. Her Catholic faith was an important part of her life.

Everyone felt special in the company of Natalie Graham. She maintained decades-long friendships and was a tireless correspondent. She was always interested in meeting new people and hearing their stories. She was the embodiment of kindness, generosity, and humility.

Natalie is survived by her husband of almost 69 years, her sister Ann Stolk de la Rosa, her six children (Susan Fitzgerald, Margaret Graham, John Graham, Betsy Keener, Joannie Keller, and Cathy Graham); twelve grandchildren (Willie and Aidan; Haydn, Whitney, and Elle; Sarah, David, and Grace; Carolyn and Annie; and Alex and Conor); and two great grandchildren (Frances and Tedeaux). She was predeceased by her beloved son, Jimmy, and her sister, Shirl Fellner.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Margaret Mary Church, 845 High St., Westwood on Tuesday morning Jan. 28th at 10am. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Natalie's name to The Ecumenical Hunger Program, 2411 Pulgas Ave., East Palo Alto, CA 94303 or ehpcares.org.

Holden-Dunn-Lawler
www.hdlfuneralhome.net