Gippy Graham
Born
Harry Gibson Graham

(1929-02-14)February 14, 1929
Franklin County, Kentucky, U.S.
OccupationPolitician
Political partyDemocratic
Associate Superintendent for the Kentucky Department of Education
In office
1988–1993[1]
Kentucky State Representative for 57th District
In office
1995–2002[1]
Succeeded byDerrick Graham[2]
Mayor of Frankfort, Kentucky
In office
December 11, 2008 – January 1, 2013[3]
Preceded byBill May
Succeeded byBill May
Websitewww.gippygraham.com

Harry "Gippy" Graham (born February 14, 1929) is a retired American politician and educator who served as a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives and as mayor of Frankfort, Kentucky.[1]

Early life

Graham was born on February 14, 1929, in Franklin County, Kentucky[4][5] to Llewellyn Marshall, a carpenter, and Mattie Fitzgerald Graham, a distillery worker.[6][7] He is the youngest of five and graduated from the now-defunct Elkhorn High School (now Franklin County) in 1947.[6] He played basketball all four years and served as captain from 1945 to 1946.[8] He served as class president for two years.[8]

Education and career

Graham earned his associate degree from Cumberland College[6][9] and a bachelor's degree in sociology and economics from Georgetown College in 1952.[10][11][6] He was a basketball player while at Georgetown and initially intended to become a social worker before deciding to work in education.[6][12]

He served in the United States Air Force between 1954 and 1956.[4][6][5] He was initially an Airman stationed at Scott Air Force Base, and was a player coach for the basketball team.[13] When he returned, he worked as a teacher and basketball coach at Georgetown High School before pursuing his master's degree in education administration at the University of Kentucky.[6] After graduating in 1958, he returned to Georgetown and stayed for an additional seven years, where he was a teacher, basketball coach, and at one point even held the role of acting principal.[6][14] He worked with Bob Davis while at Georgetown High.[11]

He eventually left Georgetown to coach basketball and track and teach at Kentucky Southern College (KSC).[15][6] KSC folded due to financial problems in 1969 and was absorbed by the University of Louisville.[16] He then worked for the State Highway Department in Frankfort as an administrative assistant from 1969 to 1971[6] and briefly coached basketball at Danville Bate Junior High in 1971.[16][11] Graham coached basketball and taught social studies at Boyle County High School from 1971 to 1975.[17][11][4] He then served as Director of Community Education at the Kentucky Department of Education for 11 years before resigning in 1987 to focus on his bid for Superintendent of Public Instruction.[6][18] Graham supported secularism rather than religious instruction in public schools, and did not support banning books unless strictly necessary.[19] He finished fourth of six candidates.[4]

Graham served in Kentucky House of Representatives as a representative for the 57th district for four consecutive terms from 1995 until 2001.[4] He did not run for re-election.[4] In 2003, he ran for Kentucky's secretary of state against Russ Maple and Joe B. Lanter.[4] His platform included increasing parent involvement; improving early childhood programs, including instituting an all-day kindergarten option rather than only half-day; hiring counselors for elementary schools; and screening students for special needs.[20] He lost to Maple by 3%, or 8,373 votes, in the Democratic primaries.[21]

He was elected Mayor of Frankfort in 2008, succeeding Bill May, who did not seek re-election due to state law prohibiting campaigning for a fourth consecutive term.[22][23] He was inaugurated on January 1, 2009.[24] Graham did not campaign for re-election in 2012 and May was re-elected.[23][25][26][27]

His honors and awards include the National Guard's Kentucky Distinguished Service Award; the Kentucky Court of Justice's Civitas International Award; the Paul Sullivan Award from the Frankfort Area Chamber of Commerce; the Kentucky Public Retiree's Harry Lee Waterfield Award; the National Community Education Hall of Fame; Outstanding Public Servant Award from the Kentucky Academy of Trial Lawyers; Teacher of the Year at Georgetown City Schools; Physical Educator of the Year from Georgetown Optimist Club; Central Kentucky Conference Coach of the Year; Ambassador of Goodwill from the City of Louisville; All-Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference basketball player.[24][1]

Personal life

Graham and Carol Miller, who he met while studying at Cumberland College, were engaged in August 1951 and had three children: Lynn, Randy, and Ray.[6][28] Following their divorce, Graham entered a committed relationship with Karen Schmalzbauer, who has worked extensively in Kentucky's Department of Education.[29][30][7] Schmalzbauer is one of the founders of Hope Harbor, a non-profit counseling center that supports survivors of sexual assault and their families.[31] Carol retired from teaching at the Kentucky School for the Deaf and passed away in 2014.[32][33] Randy is a children's book author and Emergency Manager,[34][35] Ray is a high school coach,[36] and Lynne was a housewife.[37]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Graham, Harry G. "Gippy"". Our Campaigns. n.d. Retrieved 2021-10-31.
  2. ↑ Riddell, Susan (2012-08-07). "Former educator held 'unique perspective' on legislative process". Kentucky Teacher. Retrieved 2021-10-31.
  3. ↑ "William May, Mayor". City of Frankfort. Archived from the original on 2015-07-03. Retrieved 2015-08-18.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Former Boyle educator seeks state office". The Advocate-Messenger. Danville, Kentucky. 2003-01-09. Retrieved 2021-11-01 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. 1 2 "Mayor-elect H. "Gippy" Graham" (PDF). Frankfort Rotary Club. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Question of administrative ability central in Graham's campaign". Lexington Herald-Leader. Lexington, Kentucky. 1987-03-03. Retrieved 2021-11-01 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. 1 2 "A RESOLUTION honoring Gippy Graham" (PDF). Kentucky State Legislature. n.d. Retrieved 2021-11-01.
  8. 1 2 "Elkhorn High School, 1947 Yearbook". Brian Harney. n.d. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
  9. ↑ Coyle, Ernie (1961-01-17). "Surprising Georgetown Buffaloes are saluted for strong comeback". The Lexington Herald. Lexington, Kentucky. Retrieved 2021-11-01 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "ATTENTION!". The Messenger. Madison, Kentucky. 1987-05-23. Retrieved 2021-11-01 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Gippy Graham named new Boyle cage coach". The Advocate-Messenger. Danville, Kentucky. 1971-05-11. Retrieved 2021-11-01 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Wesleyan, Georgetown in KIAC opener tonight". The Lexington Herald. Lexington, Kentucky. 1952-02-21. Retrieved 2021-11-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ "Graham Is Names Georgetown Coach", The Lexington Herald, Lexington, Kentucky, volume 88, number 85, April 9, 1958, page 9.
  14. ↑ "Gippy Graham new net coach at Georgetown". The Park City Daily News. Bowling Green, Kentucky. 1958-04-09. Retrieved 2021-11-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "'Gippy' Graham named college cage coach". The Lexington Herald. Lexington, Kentucky. 1965-06-23. Retrieved 2021-11-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. 1 2 "An eighth grade team with a college coach". The Advocate-Messenger. Danville, Kentucky. 1971-02-14. Retrieved 2021-11-01 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ↑ "Boyle athletes and cheer squads honored at banquet". The Advocate-Messenger. Danville, Kentucky. 1987-05-23. Retrieved 2021-11-01 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ "Graham resigns Boyle County coaching post". The Advocate-Messenger. Danville, Kentucky. 1975-03-12. Retrieved 2021-11-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ↑ "Candidates give views on religion in schools". Lexington Herald-Leader. Lexington, Kentucky. 1987-05-07. Retrieved 2021-11-01 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ↑ Roser, Mary Ann (1987-05-15). "Candidate unveils program for students at risk of failing". Lexington Herald-Leader. Lexington, Kentucky. Retrieved 2021-11-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ↑ Biesk, Joe (2003-05-21). "Luallen, Greenwell to face off in November". The Advocate-Messenger. Danville, Kentucky. Retrieved 2021-11-01 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ↑ Kocher, Greg (2021-05-31). "No changes found in recanvass of Frankfort mayoral primary". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
  23. 1 2 Kocher, Greg (2012-05-20). "Three seek election as mayor of Frankfort". Lexington Herald-Leader. Lexington, Kentucky. Retrieved 2021-11-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. 1 2 "Mayor Gippy Graham" (PDF). Frankfort Rotary Club. 2010-08-18. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
  25. ↑ Kocher, Greg (2012-11-07). "Billy May returns to familiar office". Lexington Herald-Leader. Lexington, Kentucky. Retrieved 2021-11-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ↑ Kocher, Greg (2012-11-06). "Former Frankfort Mayor Bill May regains office he held from '96 to 2009". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
  27. ↑ Zyskowski, Kayleigh (2012-01-29). "Mayor's race gets 2 new candidates" (PDF). The State Journal. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
  28. ↑ "Engagements". The Courier-Journal. Lexington, Kentucky. 1951-08-05. Retrieved 2021-11-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ↑ Payne, David A. Evaluating Service Learning Activities and Programs. p. 118.
  30. ↑ "Board renews call for volunteers; establishes youth service award". The Park City Daily News. Bowling Green, Kentucky. 1989-09-21. Retrieved 2021-11-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. ↑ "Hope Harbor provides valuable services". The Park City Daily News. Bowling Green, Kentucky. 2015-09-02. Retrieved 2021-11-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  32. ↑ "Obituary for Carol Graham Yunker". Harrod Brothers. 2014. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
  33. ↑ "Carol Graham Yunker". The Advocate-Messenger. Danville, Kentucky. 2014-11-12. Retrieved 2021-11-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  34. ↑ Morgan, Sam (2017-07-30). "County emergency plan tries to consider all possibilities". New Era. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
  35. ↑ Toadvine, Emily (2004-12-06). "Boyle grad writes children's books". The Advocate-Messenger. Danville, Kentucky. Retrieved 2021-11-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  36. ↑ "Wright named assistant director of Convention and Visitors Bureau". The Advocate-Messenger. Danville, Kentucky. 2015-09-22. Retrieved 2021-11-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  37. ↑ "Danville man to run for state school post". The Advocate-Messenger. Danville, Kentucky. 1986-11-24. Retrieved 2021-11-02 – via Newspapers.com.
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