Maurice Bond Graham

Maurice B. (Marcy) Graham, husband, father and advocate for hundreds of clients during his 60+ years as an attorney lost his battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) on September 9th, 2025. Mr. Graham was born in Fredericktown, Missouri and following law school practiced in Fredericktown for a number of years before moving to St. Louis.

Marcy and his wife Edna Mae, met when she was a new 4th grade teacher in Fredericktown having just moved from Arkansas. He always said that he started out as a country lawyer and over time his practice evolved into litigation as he was soon representing clients in state and federal courts in Missouri and throughout the years in courts in Montana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, South Carolina, Illinois, Iowa, Texas, Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico.

Though recognized as a lawyer who was often in his office seven days a week, he did have many outside interests. Early in his career, he served a ten year stent as a high school and small college football official and was assigned to officiate two Missouri State football championship games.

For his son Lee's 18th birthday, Lee and his dad commemorated the occasion by skydiving. Marcy and Edna Mae were avid bike riders having biked the entire Katy Trail across Missouri six times and biked throughout Europe and Canada. At the time of his death, Marcy was president of Gray, Ritter & Graham P.C., a St. Louis litigation firm.

Mr. Graham attended Central Methodist University where he played and lettered in football and later the University of Missouri where he received both his B. A. and J.D. degree. He was admitted to practice in the United States Supreme Court and the Fifth, Eighth and Ninth Circuits of the U.S. Court of Appeals. He was a member of The Missouri Bar Board of Governors and served as President of The Missouri Bar in1988-89. He served on the American Bar Association House of Delegates. He served on the Board of Curators for Central Methodist University and later as a member of the Board of Curators of the University of Missouri serving as board chair in 2017. He was a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers, The American Society of Barristers and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers.

In 2022, The Missouri Supreme Court designated an award named "The Maurice B. Graham Award" to be given annually thereafter to a lawyer who has provided exemplary service to the Bar and Judiciary.

In 2023, a classroom at the University of Missouri Law School was designated to be hereafter known as the "Maurice Graham Classroom”.

Marcy is survived by his wife of 59 years, Edna Mae and his son, Lee.

Pursuant to his wishes Marcy was cremated and a celebration of life will be conducted on October 18th, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at Salem Ladue Methodist Church. Memorial visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. prior to the service. There will also be visitation on Friday, October 17, 2025 from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Salem Ladue Methodist Church.

Memorials may be made to:
Salem United Methodist Church
1200 S Lindbergh Blvd
St. Louis, MO. 63131
salemstlouis.com/give

The ALS MU Research Fund
University of Missouri - Medicine
700 Conley Avenue, Suite 107
Reynolds Alumni Center
Columbia, MO 65201
shivesc@missouri.edu

University of Missouri
School of Law
203 Hulston Hall
Columbia, MO 65211
law.missouri.edu