John "Jack" Graper

John Gilbert "Jack" Graper

Born November 5, 1934 and passed July 4, 2019. Jack was born in Peru, Illinois to Harold and Grace Graper. He graduated from Peru High School, where he excelled in basketball and baseball.

Jack enlisted in the U.S. Navy right after high school and completed training as a Naval Medical Corpsman and was assigned duty with the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War. After his service and discharge, Jack attended Baylor University on a basketball scholarship and in June of 1957 Jack married Carol Massingill of Riverside, California and together they had three sons, Rob of Cave Junction, Oregon, Ken of Dallas, Texas and Cory of Medford, Oregon. Jack worked as a Test Engineer for Wylie Laboratories located in Norco, California before moving his family to Grants Pass, Oregon in 1965 where he worked as Quality Control for Oregon Technical Products.

He truly was a jack of all trades. He was an accomplished musician and played guitar, drums and played with 2 bands during the 1960s and 70s. His signature song was “Tie a Yellow Ribbon”. He was a gifted artist and delighted in gifting his paintings to people and organizations.

He enjoyed playing baseball and basketball with the city leagues in Grants Pass and also had a business as a taxidermist being owner of Easy Valley Taxidermy. Some of Jack’s work can still be seen at local businesses in Grants Pass.

Jack also had a career as a home designer and builder. He went on to build 12 custom homes in Josephine County including his own. He delighted in building furniture, 3 boats 2 of which being Rogue drift boats. He was an avid hunter and a fisherman to the end and a member of the Grants Pass Bass Club and belonged to the Eagles.

Along with his wife and sons, Jack is survived by his daughters-in-law Sherrie, Jenny, and Chris (Sue and Lisa) and his grandchildren whom he loved very much, Robert, Breona, Kelci, Kiley, Krystyn, Heidi, John, Josh, Lindsey, Zach, Stephanie, Jake, Dayna, Robin, Audrey, Jennifer and 11 great-grandchildren (So Far).

Committal Service and ceremony will be held at 3:00 p.m., Friday, July 19, 2019 at Eagle Point National Cemetery 2763 Riley Rd, Eagle Point, OR.