Obituary of James F. Graham

James F. Graham Jr., 79, of Mountain Top passed away on Monday, December 16, 2024, in the Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, Plains Township, surrounded by his loving family Jim was born and raised in the East End Section of Wilkes-Barre, a son of the late James F. Graham Sr. and Loretta McCarthy Graham. He was a 1963 graduate of St. Mary’s High School, where he excelled in baseball and basketball. It is there that Jim met the love of his life, Kathy Joseph, who just happened to one of the cheerleaders. Jim and Kathy were married on June 29, 1968. He often stated, “that she was the best thing that ever happened to him” and it was a testament to their 56 years of marriage. The most important thing to him was his family. He never missed his children’s activities, games or matches. He was president or involved in practically every booster club or sports program at Crestwood High School over the years. One of his goals was to ensure all of his children graduated from college. They did and it quickly became one of his greatest sources of pride. Jim was an extremely proud union ironworker, representing Local 489. Life as an ironworker was chaotic and he often traveled to surrounding states to find jobs to pay the bills. To help accomplish his goal of college for his children, Jim made a career change and took his blue-collar work ethic into the real estate industry. After a successful career with Lewith & Freeman, Jim retired in 2017. Retirement allowed Jim and Kathy to spend time and support their greatest loves, their grandchildren. There was rarely a weekend that passed that they were not enjoying a play, concert or game. His grandchildren all know how much their Pop-Pop adored them. Jim was a member of St. Jude Parish in Mountain Top. His faith was only rivaled by his love of all things Notre Dame, especially Irish Football. Regardless of the outcome, his fandom never wavered. He will be dearly missed. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Joseph Graham. Jim is survived by his loving wife, Kathy Joseph Graham and by his children, Kristen Chance and her husband, Darren, Cherry Hill, NJ; James Graham and his wife, Tracey, Wapwallopen; and Michael Graham and his wife, Kristen, Baldwin, MD; grandchildren, Katie, Colin and Brady Chance; Griffin and Jagger Graham. He is also survived by his sister, Mary Masterson and her husband, Michael, Apollo Beach, FL and by his brother, John Graham, Wilkes-Barre; along with numerous nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held on Saturday at 9:15 am from the Nat Gawlas Jordan Funeral Home, 89 Park Avenue, Wilkes-Barre, with a Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 10 am in St. Jude Parish, 420 S. Mountain Blvd. (Route 309), Mountain Top. Private interment will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Hanover Township. A visitation for family and friends will be held from 4-7 pm on Friday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donation made be made in Jim’s memory to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959 or to the charity of the donor’s choice. Condolences may be sent by visiting Jim’s obituary at www.ngjfuneral.com.