Theodore Carl Grafton

A memorial service to celebrate the life of Theodore Carl Crafton, 69, who died April 27, at Bon Secours St Francis in Charleston, S.C., after a long and courageous battle against pancreatic cancer, will take place Saturday, August 25, at 11 am, at the Newtown United Methodist Church.

Mr Grafton was born in Meriden, August 13, 1942, son of Gladys Wohlstrom Grafton and Sydney Grafton, and was lifelong resident of Newtown until retirement in 2002, when he and Charline moved to Charleston, a city he treasured.

He was a graduate of Newtown High School Class of 1960, where he was active in band and track and field. He was an Explorer Scout until the age of 18, and with his troop traveled, portaged, and canoed the North Eastern Canadian Wilderness and backwaters.

Mr Grafton served in the United States Marine Corps, and retired from the EI DuPont Company after 34 years as a production and planning control manager. He was a certified member of the American Production and Planning Control Society (APPICS).

He was a graduate of the College of Charleston, Class of 2009, earning a BA in religious studies. He graduated with honors and was an inducted member of the National Honor Society of College and University Scholars. Mr Grafton had begun a master’s program and was researching a thesis entitled “Humor in Healing: Make a Joyful Noise.”

Mr Grafton was a member of the Masonic Order, Scottish Rites, and Pyramid Shrine in Connecticut. He was a deacon in the New England Congregational Church for 14 years, a lay reader, and commissioned lay speaker in the United Methodist Church in New England. He was a consecrated Stephen Minister and was trained as a member of their supervisory team.

He was a volunteer docent, along with his wife, at Old Sturbridge Village, a farming and industrial museum of the 1840s, for 18 years, in Sturbridge, Mass.; and a volunteer at Bon Secours St Francis Hospital. He was a charter member of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation in Quantico, Va. Mr Grafton was a member of the Briddleford Ridge Homeowners Crime Watch Team and was honored by them at a reception at his home at the time of his passing.

Mr Grafton’s passion were family and friends, woodworking, photography (with several award-winning photos), travel, nature conservancy, and American History. In the past ten years he committed to the establishment of the Marine Corps Heritage Museum in Quantico, Va., working tirelessly to raise funds for its construction.

He is survived by his wife, Charline Ruth DuBail Grafton, his Finnish daughter, Dr Marta Vainiotolo, MD, of Helsinki, Finland; and his Danish son, Captain Jon Wilken, Army Air Corps, Copenhagen, Denmark. In addition, he is survived by a sister, Dane Online Grafton Trebly of Daytona, Fla.; several cousins, nieces, and nephews; and one treasured god-daughter. His pets are truly part of his family, as well.

His family remembers him as a quiet, decent man who extended great respect and compassion for all of nature and all of humankind, making friends with whomever he met throughout his life. His loved ones deeply feel the loss of this wonderful person.

A reception will follow the August 25 service in the church hall of the Newtown United Methodist Church. He will be inurned at Mepkin Abbey, a Trappist Monastary in Moncks Corner, S.C., September 29, at 5 pm, in a private service.

The Newtown Bee        August 17, 2012