Donald M. Graham died peacefully on February 6 at Lahey Hospital after a valiant
struggle with many medical issues. Donald was 92 years old.
Born in Georgetown, CO, to Royal Reid Graham and Cora Mac Diarmid Graham, his
mother moved back to Chicago after Judge Graham's death in 1926. Donald
attended Chicago Public School, and Lewis Institute, now part of Illinois Institute of
Technology, before being drafted into the U.S. Army.
Returning home, Don was accepted into M.I.T. and received a Masters in City Planning.
Upon graduation he moved to Providence, R.I. to work in the Redevelopment Agency
for nine years. He left as Director and moved to Boston where he was Planning
Administrator for the Boston City Planning Board and the Boston Redevelopment
Agency. Returning to his first love, transportation, he held several positions including
one with the MBT A working on master plans for the expansion of the system, the
extension of the Red Line to Braintree and Alewife Brook Parkway, extension of the
Orange Line to Oak Grove and the rehabilitation, modernization and expansion of the
commuter rail system
After moving to Lexington in 1961, Don immediately became involved in serving the
town and he shared his professional knowledge and personal values in many ways. He
was a Town Meeting member, member of the Lexington Commission on Suburban
Responsibility, Member and Chair of the Planning Board, Member and Chair of the
Transportation Advisory Committee, Chair of the Friends of the Council on Aging, and
member of the Senior Center Siting Committee. Don was especially proud of LexPress
and the people who helped make it work. He was very active at First Parish in Lexington
and served in many capacities.
Lexington honored Donald in 2005 by awarding him the Minuteman White Cane award
for distinguished service as a senior volunteer.
He is survived by his devoted wife of 62 years, Hazel (Higgins) Graham, and three
children: Helen of Seattle, David of Amherst, and Martha of Everett. Survivors also
include: two grandsons, Jesse of Seattle and Anthony of Lexington, and his sister-in-law
Rachel Higgins of Bedford, widow of Carlton Higgins. His niece, Carol Carson of
Williamsburg, MA, and nephew, Scott Hammen, of Paris, France, and their children have
been very close to him over the years.
A memorial service will be held at First Parish, Harrington Road, on Saturday, February
18, at 2:00. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to First Parish in Lexington or to
your favorite charity. Arrangements under the direction of Douglass Funeral Home, Lexington.