Trending
Marva Fredricks Graff, 96, most recently of Middleton, and formerly of Morgantown and Madison, Wis., went to her Lord and Savior Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at U.W. Hospital in Madison. She was born in Muskegon, Mich., January 16, 1930, the daughter of wonderful and loving parents, the late Warren Fredricks and Angelyn Koopman Fredricks, and younger sister to Helen.
She graduated from Muskegon Heights High School, where she met her future husband, Robert "Bob" Graff. In fact, she asked him out on their first date to a Sadie Hawkins dance at school. They were inseparable until his death November 2, 2004. What a team. One of their little neighbor kids called them both MarvaBob.
Marva continued her education after high school, first at Hope College and then joining Bob at Michigan State University, where she pursued a degree in teaching. She missed graduating from M.S.U. by one semester due to her marrying Bob and his enlistment in the Navy.
The Navy sent them to Charleston, S.C. While at the Isle of Palms, S.C., they had their two daughters, Linda and Cindy. After Bob's military obligation had been met, they returned to Michigan, where they had their two sons, Richard and William. Marva and family moved to Madison, where they lived for the next 14 years.
Marva was involved in everything. Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, sewing clothes, helping decorate bikes with crepe paper for Fourth of July parades, canoeing, making wax candles in milk cartons with wax and ice. She was the original DIY Mom.
Then, onward to Morgantown, where they lived for the next 50 years and where they cast a wide social net. While in Morgantown, Marva went back to school and earned her teaching degree that had been interrupted so many years earlier. She taught second grade for 17 years and loved all of her "toothless wonders". They were shocked that she didn't live at school.
Marva and Bob became enthusiastic West Virginia University athletic boosters, enjoying countless football and basketball games with friends. She was mortified when her name was in the paper saying she had shot a buck. She hadn't and everyone wanted to know the story. Marva had many talents, but cooking wild game was not one of them. Her dad golfed, her husband hunted deer, ducks, geese, pheasants and rabbits, but never a squirrel. She gave it her best shot. One day she made Hasenpfeffer (rabbit stew) that was so bad the dog wouldn't even eat it. To her credit, she was famous for her lemon bars.
She enjoyed photography (her nickname was snapshot), scrapbooking, quilting, reading and traveling with Bob. Together they explored the U.S. and international destinations. She loved her family, friends, and being in God's natural creation. She was very active in her church and P.E.O.
Marva moved back to Madison last year to be close to her children, grandchildren and great- grandchildren, who called her Party Grandma. We're so glad she did. She found a home at Attic Angels and lived independently. While there she took up glass fusing, boxing and tap dancing.
Marva was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Helen Westerhoff (Peter); her husband, Bob; her daughter, Linda Simon and husband Vince; and many other relatives and friends -- that happens when you live to be 96.
Marva is survived by her daughter, Cindy O'Connor (Pat); her sons, Richard (Trisha) Graff and William (Shannon) Graff; grandchildren, Amy Wagner (Robert), Molly Lettman (Shane), Michael O'Connor, and Lisa O'Connor (Nicholas); and great- grandchildren, Theodore Wagner, AnnaKate Wagner, Rockwell Wagner, Wyatt Lettman, Remy Lettman, Joey Nowaczyk, and Cal Nowaczyk; and a sprinkling of nieces and nephews.
Marva was a wonderful woman and made friends wherever she went. If you talked to her for 30 minutes you were automatically on the Christmas card list. She had two mottos. The first being "I love to take a nap" and the second, "Bloom where you are planted". She was the best at drying a tear, kissing a booboo, mending a broken heart, and was a world-class hugger. We loved her, you would've too. "Heaven gained an angel, but Earth lost a beautiful soul."
A service/celebration will be held in Attic Angel Senior Living Center, 8301 Old Sauk Road, Middleton WI 53562, Sunday, August 2, from 1 to 4 p.m. She loved color so please wear colorful clothes.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation of school supplies to your local elementary school.
We are so grateful for all the time we had with her. What more could you ask? She was deeply loved; you would've loved her too. Go give dad a smooch, he's been waiting.
Please share your memories at www.cressfuneralservice.com, Cress Center, 6021 University Avenue, Madison, (608) 238-8406.