Celebrating T HE L IF E OF
TRACI ANN GRAF February 26, 1961 - June 3, 2021 “Rejoice always” 1 Thess. 5:16
Traci
WAS B OR N,
Traci Ann Zwahlen, the fifth daughter of Don and Gwen Zwahlen, in Fresno, CA on February 26th, 1961. Traci’s family moved frequently when Traci was growing up, following Don’s job at Chevron USA. Most of her childhood was spent between Northern California and Washington State. She graduated from Saratoga High School in Saratoga, California in 1979. Traci left her family home in 1979 to attend college at Cuesta College, adjacent to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where she met her husband, Don Graf. The two were married on December 11, 1982 and moved down to Southern California, settling in Oxnard, California and then eventually in Camarillo, California. Traci worked as a word processer at Chevron USA until her first child was born in 1987, at which point she became a dedicated stay at home mom and family zoo keeper to many, many varietals of pets over the years. Among the highlights were giving her children the experience of caring for both a litter of puppies and a litter of kittens (not at the same time!). She was also a beloved volunteer at St. John’s Lutheran school, where all three of her children attended. When she became a grandmother in 2016 she got the brand new title of “Mimi,” caregiving and being the fun Mimi and best sleepover cruise director. The most important things to Traci were her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, her family, animals, and love of beauty and travel. She loved creating welcoming spaces in and outside of her home where people could appreciate aesthetic beauty and feel at ease within themselves and between each other. When she could, she loved visiting Hawaii and Lake Tahoe and many happy memories were made in those and other places. Traci’s warm, loving presence, laughter, and loyal, steadfast spirit is greatly missed by everyone who was lucky enough to have her in their lives. She is survived by her father, Don Zwahlen, sisters Kathy, Donna, Debbie, and Lynn, her husband Don, her children Jaclyn, Jessica, and Jared, her son-in-law Daniel, her grandchildren Adalyn (5) and Everett (3 months at the time of her passing), and by her many nieces and nephews and their families and children. She has been greeted with arms wide open in heaven by her grandparents Carey and Thelma Moore, mother Gwen, and her nephews Mark and Aaron. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Traci’s name to Chayah Children’s Home, a nonprofit near and dear to Traci’s heart which serves orphaned children in Kakira, Uganda. Donations to Chayah’s Children’s home may be made at www.chayahchildrenshome.org/general-fund
CELEBRATING THE LIFE of
Traci Ann Graf Friday, August 6, 2021 | 11:30 am
THE GRAF BARN 2160 North Victoria Avenue, Oxnard, CA 93036
Prelude Music Mary Kay & Jim Altizer (Traci’s Cousin) Welcome & Prayer Dr. Mark Mitchell (Traci’s Brother-in-Law) Scripture Reading Sherrill Asadoor-Waters (Family Friend) (John 16:33; John 14:1-4; Rev. 21:1-7) Song: “My Redeemer is Faithful & True” Bryan Henderson & Colin True Eulogies Jackie Stemen (Daughter) Jan Berman (Family Friend) Kathy O’Toole, Donna Coleman, Debbie Frizzell & Lynn Mitchell (Traci’s Sisters) Song: “Friends are Friends Forever” Bryan Henderson & Colin True Open Sharing Slide Show of Traci’s Life Message — Dr. Mark Mitchell Song: “Above All” Bryan Henderson & Colin True Closing Benediction — Dr. Mark Mitchell Postlude Music Mary Kay & Jim Altizer
Our vision at Chayah is to see lives restored and hope revived by providing a safe, nurturing and loving family setting for Chayah’s children. Chayah rescues Ugandan orphans from abuse/neglect, trafficking, extreme poverty, abandonment and provides for them in a loving home. Chayah is currently home to 38 children, cared for by loving parents, in four individual homes, on 9 acres. At Chayah, children are fed spiritually, socially, physically, and emotionally and experience what it means to be loved selflessly and valued as Christ sees them. “The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things! I will not die, but live and proclaim what the Lord has done”. —Psalm 118 Chayah Ministries International, Inc. P.O. Box 5638 Ventura, CA 93005 (805) 766-4212 www.chayahchildrenshome.org/general-fund Nonprofit 46-1179398
Chayah Children’s Home
Chayahhome