- Date Of Birth: February 22, 1931
- Date Of Death: December 17, 2012
- State: Nebraska
E. Jane (Ramsay) Graff was born February 22, 1931, the second of five children, and raised on a dairy farm, along the Blue River, just south of Seward. She attended Seward public schools, graduating from high school in 1949, as part of a notorious class, simply referred to as “THAT class.” How many of you have wondered over the years what the “E” in E. Jane stood for? Although her birth certificate reads “Ethel” – it was supposed to be “Ethe.” The addition of the “L” is a great story, but to have your curiosity completely fulfilled, you’ll need to ask a close family member. Baptized as an infant in the Presbyterian Church, she embraced the Missouri Synod Lutheran church, was confirmed at St. John’s, married her high school sweetheart, Meurice “Bud” Graff on May 16, 1950, and moved to Lincoln. Their daughter, Lecia Margaret was born May 7, 1952 – followed by Thomas Ralph, born on September 26, 1954 and Peter Joel, born on October 24, 1957. In 1958, Bud and Jane moved their family back to Seward County, to an acreage on the Staplehurst corner. Since Bud’s death in 1995, she continued to live and work in the family home they built, until health problems forced her to relocate to The Greene House Assisted Living. In addition to being a “housewife” – raising large gardens and several generations of children – she helped tend an apple orchard, taught swimming lessons to all ages, and drove a school bus. Jane and her husband established Weedy Creek Kennels, owned and raised nationally acclaimed Vizsla dogs (Hungarian Pointers), and for many years Jane served as national secretary and newsletter editor for the Vizsla Club of America. She also has been active in the field of education, serving three terms on the Seward School Board, and several more terms on the Educational Service Unit Board. She held a variety of state offices in connection with the Nebraska ESU Board Council, Nebraska School Boards Association, the State Vocational Council, Nebraska Writers Guild, the Nebraska History Network, and was a Trustee with the Nebraska State Historical Society. Locally, she served as her church council’s secretary and was the president of both the League of Women Voters and the Seward County Genealogical Society. As an active member of the First Impressions Committee she helped get the historical marker for Plum Creek Park and while on the 4th of July Committee – she would annually do her famous “walk around the square” – initiated the trolley service – and her write-ups enabled Seward to receive several statewide awards.
