Obituary of Mildred Joyce Graeser

Funeral Services for Mildred Joyce “Midgie” Graeser of Muskogee, OK, will be held at 11:30 a.m. Friday, November 1, 2019 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home in Elsberry, MO.  Visitation will be prior to the service at 10:00 a.m. Rev. Al Boatman, of Clarksville, MO, will officiate with burial in Greenwood Cemetery in Clarksville.  

           
Mrs. Graeser, 98, passed away October 25, 2019, at Cornerstone Hospital in Muskogee, OK. Born July 5, 1921 in Louisiana, MO, Midgie was the daughter of John Roy and Rose Pearl Richardson Parker. She was a 1939 graduate of Elsberry High School and attended Central Methodist College in Fayette, MO. Following college, Midgie made her way to Washington, D.C. in 1945 and worked for a number of years for Clarence Cannon, a Representative from Missouri who was a notable parliamentarian and chaired the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations.

In the mid-1950s, Midgie moved back to St. Louis and met the love of her life, Frank Graeser.  They were married on November 22, 1958, and their daughters Janet and Jeanne soon followed. The family moved to Muskogee, OK in 1971 where in Midgie sold real estate for 14 years. With a keen memory for floor plans, she enjoyed finding the perfect home for her clients. Her hobbies included antiquing, baking and, later in life, writing letters to the editors of local newspapers. She loved horseback riding in St. Louis’ Forest Park and never missed watching the Kentucky Derby, betting (not real money) on the horse with longest tail. She stayed interested in local and national politics her entire life, and was also an avid Dallas Cowboy fan.

           
She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Rose Parker, beloved husband, Frank Graeser, and her three siblings, sister, Meckie Moloney and, two brothers, John Parker Jr. and Frank Thomas “Tommy” Parker.

Midgie is survived by her two daughters Janet Worth (husband Marc Worth), of Ashville, NC and Jeanne Graeser (husband John Posthumus), of Denver, CO; four grandchildren Allison Worth Dulaney (husband Brock Dulaney), Matthew Worth (wife Lesley Worth), Olivia Posthumus and Nate Posthumus; and two great grandchildren Cara Dulaney and Dylan Dulaney.

Memorials may be made to The Global Down Syndrome Foundation (https://www.globaldownsyndrome.org) or in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home; 107 S. 5^th Street; Elsberry, MO 63343.