David S. Graham

1/30/26

David S. Graham, 88, of Skaneateles, NY, passed away peacefully on January 30, 2026, surrounded by family and friends.

Born in Plainfield, NJ, Dave graduated from Darien High School in Connecticut in 1956. It was in Darien where he met Jean, his beloved wife of 48 years.

After earning a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Bates College in 1960, Dave served as a U.S. Navy Officer in Japan for 3 years. While stationed in Japan, Dave married Jean, and they began their love of travel, service and creating lasting friendships.

Upon return to the U.S., Dave worked at Mutual of New York as a Health Underwriter in New York City. He relocated to Syracuse and moved to Skaneateles in 1970 with Jean and his two young daughters, Ginger and Wendy. Dave spent 25 years at Mutual of New York and another 20 years as a consultant for Welch Allyn in the Medical R&D department. Dave’s unwavering dedication to his community and the natural world inspired his leadership in numerous local organizations, leaving a lasting impact on all who knew him.

He held positions on the Town of Skaneateles Zoning Board of Appeals, the Planning Board, the Skaneateles Library Board, and the Columbian Foundation Board. Dave volunteered at Baltimore Woods Nature Center, Skaneateles Lake Association, and Finger Lakes Land Trust. He was a Troop 61 Scoutmaster and served in many capacities with the First Presbyterian Church. He housed musicians and volunteered for the Skaneateles Festival. After Jean’s passing, he established the Jean Graham Fund through the Skaneateles Education Foundation. Dave received the 2017 Citizen of the Year award in recognition for his years of service to the community.

Dave loved to travel with his family and friends throughout the U.S., Central America, the Caribbean, and Europe. He cherished spending time with his daughters and grandchildren at Skaneateles Lake.

Dave was an avid tennis player, fisherman, birder, and gardener. He enjoyed sharing his harvest with neighbors. Dave loved attracting birds to his feeders and diligently tallied his backyard bird counts.

Dave was predeceased by his wife, Jean; his parents, John M. & Ruth N. Graham (Darien, CT); and his brother, Stephen N. Graham (Betty) (Oakton, VA).

He is survived by his two daughters, Virginia “Ginger” Livingston (Waukesha, WI) and Wendy Graham (Beaufort, SC); his grandchildren, Parker Livingston (Ridgecrest, CA) and Eliza Livingston (Wauwatosa, WI); his brother, John Graham (Steamboat Springs, CO); his sister-in-law, Betty Graham (Amesbury, MA); several nieces and nephews; and his devoted partner, Joan Thomsen, with whom he shared his love of birding.

A celebration of life will be at a future date in late spring. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Skaneateles Lake Association, Inc., P.O. Box 862, Skaneateles, NY 13152 or Baltimore Woods Nature Center, P.O. Box 133, Marcellus, NY 13108.

Ginger, Wendy, and Joan would like to thank the extraordinary care givers at Finger Lakes Center for Living who provided comfort and peace in Dave’s last days.

To send condolences, visit: robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.