Graham looked after my career with wisdom and infailing caring from my senior year in college through the next three decades. As a senior theology major at PUC, having taken 15 quarter units of Greek from Graham (who left for Loma Linda after that year), and with my being pushed to the limits by the ultra-conservative purge on my campus, I called Graham and said I was ready to chuck it all. At his invitation, I drove to Loma Linda where he came to his office late on a Friday night to meet me and let me vent, helping me renew my vision.

A few years later, as a young academy religion teacher, he led an effort to allow this role to be a path to ordination within the Pacific Union -- specifically to my benefit. He then orchestrated a call for me to spend the next five years writing religion textbooks for the General Conference, helping 7th and 8th graders gain a magnificent view of God. He met twice a year for a full week with our K-8 writing team to coach us in achieving that goal. He regarded it is one of his most valuable contributions to the church. Many years later, when church ceased to be a meaningful affiliation for me, he was among the very few who called me; not to win my return but to make sure my belief in God remained positive.

The church has lost a singularly wise and caring voice. My own grief is but a small picture of that larger loss.

Richard Winn
California