Charles Dwight McGraw Jr.

Charles Dwight McGraw Jr., 68, of Newark, DE, passed away peacefully in his home on September 26, 2024 after a long and brave battle with pancreatic cancer. Dwight was born in Beckley, WV and raised in Roanoke, VA. He attended Cave Spring High School until he moved to Virginia Beach, VA in 1973. After his move, he attended and graduated from Cox High School in 1974. He participated in school sports including football and wrestling. He took great pride in being an Eagle Scout as well as being a part of the of the state wrestling championship team in 1974. His team picture still hangs in the hall of Cox High School in Virginia Beach. He spent most of his adult life in Virginia Beach until retirement. During his younger years, Dwight was very popular along the oceanfront. He could often be seen riding his six-foot unicycle along the Virginia Beach boardwalk. He loved to dance and swept his wife off of her feet at Worrell Brothers in Virginia Beach in 1980. Dwight married his wife, LouAnn in 1981 and were dedicated to each other and dance partners for life for a glorious 43 and a half years. His greatest joy was spending time with his loving wife and precious daughter. He was a devoted and loyal husband, father, son, brother, uncle and friend. Dwight was a machinist working for Norfolk Southern Railway at Lambert’s Point coal piers for 41 years and retired in 2016. Though most called him Dwight, his coworkers knew him as Mac, Quick or Quickdraw. Once he retired, he and his wife moved to Florida and lived there for nine years, before settling in Delaware just three months ago in hopes that John Hopkins would have a new treatment plan for his vicious disease. In his free time, he enjoyed working (along with his wife and daughter) part-time for over 20 years for the Virginia Beach Amphitheater, Event Staffing, Inc., the Virginia Beach Convention Center, the Sandler Center, the Virginia Beach Oceanfront and many other venues in the 757 as well as the amphitheater in Tampa, FL and various events/festivals along the east coast. Dwight was a generous host during the family holiday parties and would do anything for his loved ones. He loved holding the new little members of his family and always gave the best hugs. He was loved by so many and will be deeply missed. Dwight is survived by his wife of over 43 years, Lucille Ann (LouAnn) Zingraff-McGraw; his daughter, Kayla Autumn Elizabeth McGraw; sisters: Colleen McGraw-Hagy (Doug Hagy), and Linda A Parr (Jim Parr); brother, David McGraw (Kerry McGraw); sister-in-law, Peggy Zingraff Ratliff (Jeff Ratliff); brothers-in-law: Matthew Zingraff (Anne Schiller), and Michael Zingraff (Caren Zingraff); and a host of nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents: Elizabeth Anne Howard & Charles Dwight McGraw Sr. Family and friends are invited to pay their respects at 2 PM on Sunday, October 20, 2024 at Kingdom Life, 1280 Bells Mill Road, Chesapeake, VA 23322. A celebration of Dwight’s life will be held at 3 PM. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Dwight’s name to St. Jude for Children’s Research Hospital at the following link: http://events.stjude.org/Dwight. For more information or to send an online condolence please visit www.stranofeeley.com. Strano & Feeley Family Funeral Home 302-731-5459

Charles Dwight McGraw Jr.

November 18, 1955 - September 26, 2024

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