Here’s a beautiful fall landscape in Mapleton, a sweeping view of grapes and apples with lovely fall colors in the background. My niece, Heatherlyn Johnson Reamer (my brother Dean’s daughter) and her husband Cory live in a house to the right of this view.
Heather and Cory have done a beautiful job of restoring and renovating the house, once owned by the DeGraw family. Maurice DeGraw is the only member of that family I recall meeting, and he was a super nice guy. He was very active in the Old Mission community, and was also manager of the Traverse City Transit Lines bus company in town.
Old Mission Gazette is Reader Supported.
Click Here to Keep the Gazette Going.
Here’s a story from the Traverse City Record-Eagle dated Thursday, May 22, 1947, in which Maurice is noted as providing music to a community event. (You’ll notice several other longtime Old Mission family names, too.) I think we should bring back the Peninsula Bustle Biddies! Who’s with me?!
Maurice DeGraw and his wife Jarka were amazing people. Maurice played the piano at my wedding reception! I loved them both very much. Thank you sharing such a great memory!
Oh my gosh! How cool is that! How neat that Maurice played at your reception. I wish I’d had the chance to get to know him better. I mostly just met and knew him when Dean was buying the farm.
This is my grandpa. He loved to play his piano and sing along!