MIAMI LAKES, Fla. – The Miami Lakes United Church of Christ hosted a celebration of life on Saturday in honor of Bob Graham, a two-term Florida governor and three-term U.S. senator who served in the Florida House and Senate.
In 2020, Graham suffered a stroke. His health declined and he died on April 16 in Gainesville. He was 87. Graham laid in state on April 26 in Florida’s Old Capitol. Graham’s daughter Arva Suzanne Graham Gibson said she was very moved by how Florida Highway Patrol troopers lined up to honor him.
Graham Gibson, a historian, said her father loved the Florida Everglades, the University of Florida, and note-taking. She said many had shared the handwritten letters they had received from him after just one meeting. She was grateful for the support and added, “The real Florida has shown up over the past few weeks.”
With Rev. Daniel Medina’s blessing, Rev. Jeffrey E. Frantz, a retired minister who knew Graham as a parishioner and family man in Miami Lakes, led 200 strong in prayer and song. He also introduced Graham’s family and friends for eulogies during the afternoon service at 6701 Miami Lakeway.
In the first pew, Adele Khoury Graham, the First Lady of the state of Florida from 1979 to 1987, and Graham’s wife of 65 years. She sat with their four daughters: Graham Gibson, Gwendolyn “Gwen” Graham, Kendall Elizabeth Graham, and Glynn Adele Graham.
“The enduring personal legacy of my grandfather is in his family,” said Sarah Logan, Graham’s granddaughter and Gwen Graham’s daughter. She added he was a great-grandfather.
Samuel R. “Buddy” Shorstein remembered how Graham, his long-time friend, opposed the war in Iraq as the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee after the Sep. 11, 2001 attacks. They met when Graham was a student at Havard and he went on to serve as his deputy chief of staff.
“The most important, consistent lesson he taught was good public policy makes good politics,” Shorstein said.
Robin Gibson said he met Graham when they were both high school students interested in politics. They were in rival schools: Graham was at Miami High; Gibson at Miami Edison. They met again in the same fraternity at UF. They had birthdays only a day apart. He went on to work as Graham’s general counsel as governor.
“Bob Graham was the same person in the room where it happens than he was outside the room where it happens, and since you knew Bob Graham, and you have been exposed to him and his company, you have been in the room where it happens, because it was no different,” Gibson said later adding that Graham will be remembered as a top “statesman.”
Graham’s eldest daughter, Gwen Graham, an attorney and politician, described her father as kind, empathetic, “unbelievably” smart, a “stubborn” problem solver, and a public servant who could have been a great president. She said he was a proud author, and she has always been proud to be his daughter.
“We love him so much, and we will miss him more than I can say,” Gwen Graham said.
Rev. Daniel Medina’s words of welcome
Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Frantz reads Graham’s favorite scriptures
Graham’s granddaughter Sarah Logan
Graham’s daughter Arva Suzanne Graham Gibson
Graham’s daughter Gwen Graham
Graham’s friend Robin Gibson
Graham’s friend Buddy Shorstein
Watch the memorial
This video is about 2 hours long