Dennis P. Graumann

Dennis Perry Graumann “aka” Papa G Big Flats - went home to his Lord and Savior on July 17, 2021, after a courageous battle with cancer surrounded by his wife and children. Dennis was born on July 2, 1934, in Chicago to the late Margaret Huizinga and Harold Graumann. He graduated from Tri-State University in Angola, Indiana with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Business Administration. He married his wife Diana Marie Moschini on August 27, 1960, and they would have celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary this year. He was predeceased by his brothers Jim Huizinga and Albert Simonsen. Dennis is survived by his loving wife, Diana (Moschini) Graumann; sons, Damon (Jan) and David (Kathy) Graumann; daughters, Dina (Michael) Babb and Danielle (Karl) Aepelbacher; brothers, Jerry (Barbara) Graumann and Harold (Carol) Simonsen; sister-in-law Joan Huizinga; beloved grandchildren, Max, Emily, Warren, Daniel, Ian, Aaron, and Will along with dear nieces and nephews. He retired from Corning Inc in 1995 as a Controller after 39 years in various locations, including Belgium, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, and finally here, his favorite small-town. His Corning years were briefly paused when drafted in 1957 when he proudly served in the US Army stationed in Heidelberg, Germany. Dennis remembered his work years fondly, but his true passions in life were his Faith, Family, and Friends. He was most happy watching his grandchildren playing sports, rooting for his Chicago Cubs and Syracuse basketball, "kicking tires," making friendly bets with friends and family, playing Gin Rummy, and breaking bread with family. Dennis was a devoted Catholic Christian who often expressed “JC is my man." For many years, he opened the church for 6:45 daily Mass at St. Mary Our Mother Church and organized the readers. He often would help others by giving rides to airports, dr. visits, and the like. He visited with many people over the years in Senior living facilities playing cards and keeping them company. He volunteered for Meals on Wheels in retirement with his best friend Paul Norris and then later with Diana. However, he touched so many lives in countless other ways but letting others know about how he helped his community was not his style. He was a social man and shared cherished friendships with Paul Norris (deceased), Bruce Bloomer, his Poker group, and many others. Friendly conversation was his forte, and no matter the locations, he would turn strangers into friends. He was the first to call to wish family and friends a Happy Birthday or Happy Anniversary. He loved staying connected by phone with the people he cherished. Until the worst of his illness, he enjoyed staying active with swimming at Health Works, and as a younger man he enjoyed racquetball and golf. Dennis would be honored if you would remember him with a smile, a kind deed for a stranger, and a toast to a life well-lived. Friends and relatives are invited to call on Thursday, July 22, 2021, from 4 pm to 6pm at James D. Barrett Funeral Home on Lake Street in Elmira. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, July 23, at 10:00 am at St. Mary Our Mother Church in Horseheads with Fr. Christopher Linsler as celebrant. Interment will take place in Rural Home Cemetery in Big Flats, NY at the convenience of the family. Please consider a donation to Meal on Wheels or the Southern Tier Food Bank in lieu of flowers.