Graham Montague Witherspoon passed away June 9, 2025 at the age of 104. Poet, cowboy, sailor, sales manager, hiker, author and artist were all identities in his life. He wrote his first poem at age 6 about a rabbit and squirrel. As a teen, he worked alongside his brother in the Kansas City Stockyards, paid $1 a day by his father, who owned a livestock commission company there.
In World War II, Graham was the captain of an amphibious launcher which arrived just after the Battle of Iwo Jima to deposit troops on the island. After the war, he became a successful sales manager for National Cash Register, earning the famed “red jacket” for his outstanding work.
In retirement, he and his wife Pat moved to Colorado and hiked many fourteeners in their 60s and 70s, including the difficult “chimney ascent” of Long’s Peak. Graham’s son, John, suffered from schizophrenia, his wife passed away from Alzheimer’s disease, and he wrote about the heartache these illnesses bring.
He was artistic throughout his life, leaving sketches from his youth and paintings from his retirement years. He had a great sense of humor, tremendous self-confidence, enjoyed being with others and dedicated himself completely to any goal.
Graham is survived by his daughters Chris Medina and Nancy Witherspoon, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
