Posted on 03/18/2020
Dr. William A. Graham, Jr., longtime Columbiana County Coroner, died suddenly at home, surrounded by his loving family, on March 8, 2020. Born Oct. 12, 1936, in Chicago, IL, he was a son of the late Colonel Wm. A. and Helen Graham. A lifelong love of learning led him to numerous degrees and certifications from many institutions, where he received a number of awards and recognitions. He graduated in 1953 from University High School in Los Angeles, CA, and received a presidential appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, where he was a "Star" Honor Student for three years and was awarded his bachelor of science in electrical engineering. He was a Naval Aviator, serving as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, where he had U.S. Naval Flight Training from 1958-1963 and served with Air Antisubmarine Squadron 38 from 1959-1963. As a Naval Aviator, he was recognized as a prestigious double-centurion, awarded for having successfully completed over 200 landings on a given aircraft carrier. He was a supply officer, electronics officer, assistant operations officer and an antisubmarine warfare plane commander. A 1967 graduate of UCLA, where he took pre-med courses, he then received his doctorate of medicine at The Creighton University School of Medicine, in Omaha, NE, where he served as class president and received the Lederle Fellowship for his studies in Electron Microscopy. He had a rotating internship at Orange County Medical Center in Orange, CA. He completed his residency in pathology in 1972 from LAC/USC Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA. He received the L.A. Society of Pathologists, Inc., Award for Presentation at the Fifth Annual Residents' Symposium. He pursued courses in math and computer science at California State College in Los Angeles and Pasadena City College in Pasadena, and completed Advanced Management Research International, Inc.'s Fundamentals of Finance and Accounting for Non-Financial Executives and Systems Analysis for Programmers. In post-graduate education, he earned his masters' degree in business administration from the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Steubenville, OH in 1990. He received his licenses to practice medicine in Nebraska in 1967, California in 1968 and Ohio in 1973, and he had a National Board Certification in medicine as well as certifications in anatomic and clinical pathology, radioimmuno pathology, immunohematology, and dermatopathology. In the early 1970s, Dr. Graham was an instructor in pathology at the U.S.C. School of Medicine, lectured in pathology in the U.S.C. School of Pharmacy and in the post-graduate courses in pathology at the U.S.C. School of Medicine. He was head of the laboratory computer group and then staff pathologist in the autopsy department at LAC/USC Medical Center. He then served as an associate pathologist at San Clemente General Hospital and Palm Harbor General Hospital in California. From 1973 to 2001, he was director of laboratory and pathology at East Liverpool City Hospital, where he continued to serve as an associate pathologist for several years. He served as president of the medical staff at City Hospital in 1977, 1999 and 2000. He also served as director of the Certified Laboratory Assistants School at City Hospital. In the 1970s and 1980s, he served as a member of the board of trustees of the Ohio Association of Blood Banks and the Physicians Peer Review Association, Inc. He also was a member of the board of trustees at City Hospital from 1976 to 1987. He had served as a member of the board of trustees of the Greater East Liverpool Health Care Alliance since 1995. A member of Phi Chi Medical Fraternity, Fellow College of American Pathology, Fellow American Society of Clinical Pathology and the American Medical Association, he also was a member of Rotary International. In November 1989, he was elected Columbiana County Coroner, serving twenty-eight years, stepping down as Deputy Coroner, due to health issues. An avid athlete who enjoyed jogging, tennis, scuba diving and skiing, Dr. Graham also was devoted to his hobbies of electronics, computers, woodworking, and flying, having received his commercial pilot's license in 1964. He also enjoyed traveling outside of the USA with his wife, Mickey, visiting various countries, including China, Russia, Japan, Germany, Italy, and Peru. He is survived by his loving wife of 40 years, Arlene "Mickey" Graham. Also, surviving are his children, Sandra Lynn, Richard Brian, David Jeffrey, Deanna Arlene Dysert and Russell David Dysert, along with 7 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. Per Dr. Graham's wishes, there will be no calling hours. His remains will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery, Washington, D.C., with his parents, while waiting for his wife to join him. Along with Mickey and his dog, Oliver, he will be sadly missed by all who truly knew him.
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