Dr. Randall Paul Graff

Dr. Randall "Randy" Paul Graff was a caring physician, father, brother, and friend. He sadly passed away on Saturday, December 10, 2022, at age 70 after a long battle with dementia.

Randy was born and raised in Rapid City, South Dakota. He began working at a young age alongside his dad learning the trade of painting houses by cleaning paintbrushes. A bright firstborn, Randy decided that education would be his ticket to a different life. However, he also understood that a strong work ethic would be the only path. He naturally excelled in school while also working multiple jobs to pay for his own education.

After graduating high school, he attended South Dakota School of Mines and Technology majoring in mathematics, and later attended medical school at the University of South Dakota, where he excelled academically and entirely self-funded his tuition by working second and third jobs outside of school hours. Dr. Graff went on to practice occupational and family medicine in Deadwood, SD for many years. Randy's work ethic and passion for medical care are still felt in the Black Hills community as he helped build what is now Monument Health Lead-Deadwood Hospital as one of the practice's primary physicians and founding partners. His career spanned 40 years.

Always an adventurer, Randy pursued many hobbies including piloting small aircraft, scuba-diving with sharks, sailing on the ocean, backpacking, fly-fishing, and travel with friends and family. Day-to-day, he led a simple life and found great pleasure spending time with his pets (Silver, his cat, and Max, his dog). Both loved to sample his homemade loaves of bread and chocolate chip cookies, which were always in fresh supply in his home.

Randy instilled the same values in his two children, one a dermatologist and the other a successful venture capitalist. He taught them the value of hard work, and shared his appreciation of nature, animals and the outdoors through travel, scuba-diving, and backpacking with them.

An endowed scholarship for first-generation college students has been created at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in Randy’s name, to honor our father and loving oldest brother. We hope to inspire and support others in their pursuit of the “American Dream.”

Randy is survived by his youngest sister, Karen Bourbon; daughter, Gretchen (Graff) Kreizenbeck (Grant Kreizenbeck); and son, Chris Graff (Allie Graff); nieces, Kandra Swenson and Kristy Ashland and nephew, Brent Bourbon; and grandchildren, William and Heidi Kreizenbeck, and Owen and Emma Graff.

He will live on forever in hearts, and his spirit will be with us as we travel and encounter new adventures. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to Alz.org. Share online memories and condolences at www.fitzgeraldfh.com.