Matilda Emily Graf

Matilda Emily “Tillie” Graf, 84, longtime Oak Harbor resident, died Nov. 2, 2003, at United General Hospital in Sedro-Woolley. She was born Nov. 1, 1919, in McKees Rocks, Pa., now a suburb of Pittsburgh. She was the daughter of Croatian-born Peter and Teresa Blaskovich.

After building a beautiful home and garden near Pittsburgh, Pa., opportunity brought the family to Oak Harbor in 1962. Here, starting over with a large bare lot and a small and rather bare structure for a house where the only asset was a spectacular view, Tillie and husband Tom built a garden show place. Tillie’s early years on the farm taught her hard work and brought her into intimate contact with growing things. This interest never ceased to grow her entire life, progressing from gardening for sustenance to growing for pleasure to enhance the appearance of her home to professional level horticulture knowledge in recent years.

Soon after her move here, she became active in gardening organizations, becoming a respected member who held many leadership positions in Oak Harbor Garden Club and the Dirty Dozen, became a Washington State Master Gardener, and a certified Master Flower Show Judge and later served on the Judges Council. She has been a longtime participating member of the The American Rock Garden Society, The Northwest Perennial Alliance, the Hardy Plant Society, the Komo Kulshan A. R. S. and the American Rhododendron Society. While Tillie has been recognized many times for achievements and contributions, she has always been most comfortable out of the limelight, getting things done, and enjoying plants, although she never had any trouble showing off her beautiful yard.

Tillie also served the community on the elections board for many years and has been active in her neighborhood activities, contributing much to the kinship that many of the neighbors feel toward one another. All this not withstanding, perhaps her greatest satisfaction is with her family. She was the ever-present not so visible wind beneath the wings of her family and was there with support long after she helped teach them to fly confidently on their own. She will be missed.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas L. Graf in 1990. She is survived by a sister, Catherine B. Smith of Wellsburg, W.V.; brothers Peter D. and Frank J. Blaskovich of Colliers, W.V.; sons Paul Graf and wife Margo of Bellingham, and Thomas G. Graf and wife Russelle of Port Angeles; a daughter, Sandy of Prosser; three grandchildren, Carol of Bellingham, Thomas B. Graf and wife Christine of Beaverton, Ore., and Jenny Michaelis and husband Scott of Port Angeles; one great-grandchild, Kaylie Graf of Beaverton, Ore.; 13 nieces and nephews, 22 great-nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be Friday, Nov. 7, from 4 to 7 p.m., and Saturday from 11 a.m. until noon, at Burley Funeral Chapel. A funeral service will be held at Burley Funeral Chapel, Saturday, Nov. 8, at 1 p.m., Pastor Harold Veldman officiating. Interment will follow at Maple Leaf Cemetery.

Donations may be made in lieu of flowers to the National Neurofibromatosis Foundation, Washington Chapter, 6628 212th St. S.W., Suite 100, Lynnwood, WA 98036; the American Cancer Society, c/o Jo Balda, treasurer, P.O. Box 345, Oak Harbor, WA 98277, Oak Harbor Garden Club or a favorite charity. Arrangements by Burley Funeral Chapel.