Carl William (Bill) Graning passed away on January 14, 2024. Bill was born on February 24, 1938 in Bloomington, Illinois. He was preceded in death by his parents Carl and Irene Graning, his first wife, Linda Klepper Graning, and a step-son David Moore.
He is survived by his wife Barbara Ann Risch, brother Robert Graning (Judy), son and daughters Michael Graning (Edye), Michelle Donahue (Mark), and Lynette McLaughlin (Carl) along with six grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Two days before attending first grade his father changed jobs and the family moved to Galesburg, Illinois where Bill spent the next 16 years attending public schools and Knox College.
Bill excelled in basketball, earning many individual and team honors. Both his Junior and Senior season high school teams qualified for the Illinois State Sweet Sixteen Tournaments. Bill made the Conference All Star teams during his last two high school years. He also won two baseball varsity letters with his Junior year team going to the Illinois State Tournament.
While playing basketball at Knox College, his three varsity year teams won the Conference each year and qualified to play in the NCAA Small College Tournament his Sophomore and Junior seasons where each year they finished among the top eight teams in the nation. Bill was included as a member of the 1960 “Who Is Who in Small College Basketball”. He finished his Knox College career as their leading season and career scorer and rebounder.
While at Knox he was a member of Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity serving as their President his Senior Year. He was commissioned as an Army ROTC officer upon graduation and spent 20 months in Germany as a Petroleum Supply Officer and Battalion Adjutant. He attended Indiana University and earned his MBA majoring in Marketing. Bill was employed Ford Motor Company, in their Purchasing, Supply, Finance and Strategy Offices for 33 years.
After two years of supplier consulting positions, he and Barbara moved to Pinewild Country Club in Pinehurst where they spent 24 years before moving to Belle Meade, a Continuing Care Retirement Community in Southern Pines.
While at Pinewild Bill was a member of the PMGA men’s golf group serving as its Treasurer for two years and heading up various tournaments. He joined three different golf groups playing with them for 23 years. Believing that his life had been blessed in so many ways, he cut back on his golf to start doing volunteer work with Barbara at the First Health Hospital, Sandhills/Moore Coalition for Human Care, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and Given Library Resale Store. Heart surgery in 2018 curtailed most of this volunteer work.
Bill enjoyed reading and spending time on the computer. He would try to watch every Indiana University basketball game on television. He was known for his wit and seemed to have a story or joke for any subject being discussed. He will be dearly missed.
Donations in his memory may be made to the Foundation of FirsthHealth, 150 Applecross Rd. Pinehurst, NC 28374 or to the Sandhills/Moore Coalition, 1117 W. Pennsylvania Ave, Southern Pines, NC 28387.
A funeral mass will be celebrated at the Chapel at Belle Meade, 100 Waters Dr. Southern Pines, at 12:00 noon on Saturday, Jan. 20th.
Online condolences may be made at www.BolesFuneralHome.com
Services are entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines.
