Alice Lee Graber-Krieger
September 19, 1918 - June 25, 2016
Born: September 19, 1918
Death: June 25, 2016
Long time Fullerton resident, Lee Graber-Krieger, passed away on June 25, 2016 after a long illness. She died at Sunny Ridge Manor Home in Fullerton where she had been a resident for about 9 years. We thank the owner and staff there for their outstanding compassionate care.
Her life spanned the most significant events of the 20th century. She was born in September 1918 in a small town in Kansas. World War One was nearing it’s end and the greatest flu epidemic in modern times was just beginning. Her childhood years were spent during the roaring twenties, but she entered her teenage years during the Great Depression. She graduated from high school in 1936 in the middle of that Depression, and went into nurses training.
After completing nurses training, she did private duty nursing and worked as a Stewardess on the Rock Island Train line.
World War II soon interceded and she found herself up-rooted and working as a nurse at the a military airbase in Wichita, Kansas. Somewhere along the way, she met a young doctor , Harold Graber. They were married on New Year’s Day, 1944. He was in the Service, and they initially lived in Laredo, Texas during his training. He spend the final part of the war in the Pacific. When he returned and was discharged, together they opened a medical practice in Nickerson, KS - the only doctor and nurse team in the town.
They later moved to a larger town, Hutchinson, KS; and started a family. In 1956, the family piled into a station wagon and headed for CA, settling here in Fullerton. She had worked with her husband to built his medical practice and now became a stay-at-home-Mom to raise the children.
Although her version of stay-at-home wasn’t really all that “stay at home“. She threw herself into school activities, horse show activities, and charity organizations of all kinds. She was a ‘worker bee”. She was never hesitant to roll up her sleeves and do whatever was needed to get the job done.
National Charity League; Needle Work Guild; her church; Assistance League, Cal State Fullerton Art Alliance, Mother Goose Guild, and more. She held various offices in these organizations, from President on down to cleaning the pots and pan… doing both the glamorous and mundane. And approaching the mundane with the same enthusiasm as the glamorous. In 1976 her efforts were recognized by being named “Fullerton’s Woman of the Year. An honor she had earned.
Her husband, Harold, died in 1981. She increased her activities at St Paul’s Lutheran Church, continued her volunteer work and enjoyed informal ‘get-togethers’ with her friends, such as a yearly group attendance at Cal State Fullerton’s “Concert Under the Stars”.
Later in the 1980’s she began to be seen more often with her long time neighbor, George Ashman. It was a period of comfort and stability, with the added excitement of travel. George’s family became part of her extended family.
Her life took another turn at the end of the century however. At her 60th high school reunion in Herington, Ks, she became re-acquainted with fellow high school student, Ed Krieger. After a whirlwind courtship they married in the final days of the last century, December 28, 1999. More travel followed, but Alzheimer’s disease started to take its toll. Ed became a faithful husband, spending quite a lot of time at St Jude hospital; at Terrance View Nursing home and at her board and care home, Sunny Ridge Manor Home here in Fullerton.
She had boundless energy and curiosity. She leaves a legacy of kindness and generosity.
She was preceded in death by husbands, Dr. Harold Graber (died 1981) and Edward Krieger, (died 2012). Survived by her children son David and wife Mary, son Tim and daughter Cindy. A Memorial Service is planned on Sat. Aug 6, 10:30 am,at St. Paul‘s Lutheran Church, Fullerton.
NOTE: Harold Graber was born in Pretty Prairie, Kansas, USA on 25 Apr 1916 to Jones W Graber and Elizabeth Graber. Harold L Graber married Alice Lee Lindert and had 3 children. He passed away on 2 May 1981 in Fullerton, California, USA.
