Seymour Daily Tribune 
The Rev. Walter G. Graeflin
August 9, 2006 
The Rev. Walter G. "Drake Duck" Graeflin, 78, died at 4:39 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2006, in the loving presence of his family at his residence in Bluffton.
Rev. Graeflin dedicated his life to the church, and on June 30, 2006, he celebrated his 51st year as an ordained minister in the Nazarene Church.
He was born on April 11, 1928, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Walter and Martha (Wohlschlegel) Graeflin. On April 25, 1951, in Boston, Mass., he and Iris C. "Idie" (Kline) were married. They were married for 41 years before she died on Jan. 18, 1993.
Rev. Graeflin graduated from Wellington, Ohio, High School in 1946. He completed his undergraduate studies at Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy, Mass. He obtained his Master of Divinity from Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Mo. He first began his ministry as the senior pastor of a Nazarene Church in Anderson, Ind., for three years. In 1957, he was led to Bluffton where he served as the senior pastor of the First Church of the Nazarene for 25 years. He then served as senior pastor in Seymour at Peter's Switch Church of the Nazarene for 13 years. After serving six months as interim pastor at the Fort Wayne New Vision Church of the Nazarene, he continued to serve there as associate pastor for three years. For the past five years (up to the present) he served as the associate pastor of visitation at the Church of the Nazarene in Bluffton. He was dedicated to visiting those who were sick and unable to come to church. He made thousands of visits each year. He has been associated with the Bluffton community for the last 48 years.
Rev. Graeflin is survived by his children: Arlette Graeflin of Ossian and Ron (Sheryl) Graeflin of Flushing, Mich., in addition to two grandchildren, Zac and Abby Graeflin of Flushing.
Calling hours for Rev. Graeflin will be held from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at the Thoma/Rich, Hewitt & Chaney Funeral Home in Bluffton. A celebration of his life will be held 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the First Church of the Nazarene, 1515 Clark Ave. in Bluffton. The Rev. Larry Sheets will officiate. Friends may visit with the family for an hour before the service at the church.
A fellowship dinner will be held after the service at the church. Burial will follow at Elm Grove Cemetery in Bluffton. Memorials may be made to the church of your attendance or to the Church of the Nazarene International Missions.