Marguerite McGraw died on Saturday, September 10 at home as she had wished. Born in Montréal, Canada she earned a bachelor’s degree in 1945 and was awarded the Medal of Lieutenant-Governor of Canada for her academic excellence. She then pursued her teaching career at Webster Groves College in St. Louis, Missouri where she met the love of her life, Dr. Leslie McGraw who was the new head of the Chemistry Department. In 1960 she earned an MA degree in French Literature from Ohio State University where she also taught French language as a teaching assistant. In 1967 she joined the faculty of the University of Steubenville where she taught French literature, language and translation for twenty- three years and was awarded both the Faculty Special Service Award and the Alumni Service in Education Award. After her husband’s death in 1995 she threw herself into a major work of translation as her best source of solace, and three years later completed the translation into French of Willa Cather’s novel Shadows on the Rock, a hymn to the spirit of old Québec and the nobility of preserving tradition and culture even in the most primitive circumstances. All who knew Marguerite, known by her students as Madame McGraw, will remember her as a passionate ambassador of French language and culture till the day she died. She is survived by one daughter, Micheline Lockerd of Grand Rapids, one son, Dr. Daniel McGraw of Haverhill, Massachusetts, seven grandchildren, seven great grandchildren, her brother Pierre Tousignant of Montréal and his wife Madeleine and a cousin Murielle also of the Province of Québec. Visitation will be at the home of Mrs. McGraw’s daughter, Micheline, Sunday, September 18 from 2 to 4 PM with a Vigil Rosary Service at 3 PM. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 AM on Monday, September 19 at The Cathedral of Saint Andrew, 265 Sheldon Blvd., SE. Following the funeral the immediate family will proceed to the Graceland Mausoleum. It is the family’s wish that friends make offerings to the Cathedral of Saint Andrew in lieu of flowers.
