Kittery Point-Graham Alvord died peacefully at home on February 2 9 , 2020 at the age of 103, joining his wife Jean in heaven, who died 9 days before.

Graham was born on September 7, 1916 in Melrose, MA to Henry and Margaret Alvord. He attended Harvard College and graduat ed with a BA in Economics. After several years in theater, he joined the Navy in WW2, serving as executive officer of an LST on D-Day. His was the first transport ship to land on Omaha Beach during the Normandy invasion. Returning home after his ship was d isabled by a mine , he courted and wedded his pen pal Jean Drake with a marriage that lasted 75 years. Shortly afterwards they moved to Kittery Point, Maine . He worked at Portsmouth High School as a teacher and guidance counselor u ntil retirement at 62 , whe re he also ran the theater department for many years. He then served as assista nt minister at the North Church in Portsmouth, NH for several years , followed by a life time of volun teer service , including pastoral counseling, funerals, marriages, nursing home vi sitation and hospice. In his 90's he'd take the bus to Portsmouth Hospital twice a week for bedside and bereavement counseling. One year he won the national F rist Humanitarian Award and enjoyed a celebration trip to Nashville.

Graham received two high gov ernment honors late in his life . In 2014 t he United States S tate Department named him as sole representative at the Sword Beach ceremony during the D-Day anniversary celebration and in 2013 t he French government awarded him their Legion of Honor m edal at the French Embassy in Boston.

He had a lifetime passion for the outdoor s in many forms . He routinely biked to Ports m outh High for his job, later doing long distance bicycling across the United States and Europe and daily bicycle excursions around the seacoast until late in his life. His fa scination with the Grand Canyon into his 80 ' s included 13 hikes to the bottom and 7 r iver excursions. The Appalachian Mountain Club recognized him a s climb ing all 48 pea ks over 4000 ' in both the summer and winter , the 13 th person to do so.

Graham also enjoyed reading , writing and classical music , with opera and symphony music frequently playing at home. He wrote 1 72 sonnets that have been donated to UNH and read T olstoy ' s War and Peace for the FIFTH time at age 102.

He i s survived by five ch ildren : John and wife Anne Ashley of Carmel Highlands, CA; Betsy Labutti of Corinth, VT; Christopher and wife Vicki of Wimberley, TX; Joseph and wife Sheila Burke of Central Point, OR; and Graham (Chip) and wife Olga of Anchorage, AK. He was pr e-deceased by his wife Jean nine days before him and son Andy in 1973 . Graham loved and cherished his wife Jean and his entire family , including h is numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren and great - great grandchildren.

A joint memo rial service for Graham and wif e Jean is scheduled for March 14, 2020 at 1:00 PM at the First Congregational Church, 23 Pepperrell Road, Kittery Point, Maine 03905 , with a reception to follow in the parsonage. Pastor Brian Gruhn will officiate at the cerem ony. All are welcome to attend to celebrate Jean and Graham's li ves . In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in their name to the church.

The family especially thanks h is caregiver s , who allowed him to be home in the last years of his life.