Graham Lewis Saunders

Graham “Grazie” Saunders, husband of Lindsay, father of Archie, son of Dawn, brother and soul mate of Daniel, beloved of them all, passed away suddenly and without warning on 21st June 2020, having taken his own life at the age of 37.  He was a shining light in the lives of all that knew him.

Graham was born to Marcus and Dawn in February 1983 at the Louise Margaret Military Hospital in Aldershot, England.  Schooling at Badshot Lea, William Cobbett and Heath End School. School was always academically challenging, suffering as he did with Dyslexia and ADHD, but he was blessed with an extraordinary imagination and creativity that enabled him to turn his uniquely personal and original thinking into practical reality.  After school, following electrical engineering work he enrolled in the Academy of contemporary music in Guildford and subsequently excelled in Disc Jockey work, appearing at many frontline UK locations and also in TV advertisements.

Inspired by his lifelong love of the natural world Graham gained qualifications in horticulture at the Merrist Wood College and established ‘Graham Lewis Landscaping’ the success of which enabled him to pursue his enthusiasm for his music - techno, drum, bass and trance together with all things Volkswagon camper vans.  Life was good, he acquired a T4 and carried out a full camper conversion single handedly.  Later came a Westfalia Bay Window.

At the Munich Oktober fest in 2011 Graham met Lindsay, from Pennsylvania USA.  They entered into a relationship and travelled extensively together.  In 2015 Graham sold his business and beloved vans in the UK and married Lindsay in her home town of Lancaster.  After the wedding the couple moved to Sonoma, California and Graham found a job with the Sonoma State Parks, immersing himself in the flora and fauna of their many public parks and properties.  He loved his work, earned several promotions and made good friends.  Once settled in Sonoma, forever hardworking, forever creative, Graham bought a VW split screen camper – his “Imogen” and setting up a business called “Splitting Image” he turned “Imogen” into a mobile photo booth for weddings and events.

In August 2019 Lindsay gave birth to their son Archie, 2 ½ months prematurely, at Marin General Hospital.  He was transferred to San Francisco Hospital NICU ward, where Graham stayed with him for sixteen days and nights. Lindsay was recovering in Marin General Hospital, and visited as soon as she could. Archie successfully gained the strength to come out into the world – already a true “chip off the old block”.

At General Vallejo’s home in Sonoma Graham, with his colleague Lynn and several volunteers started a breeding program to help conserve the much loved and iconic Monarch butterfly, under the Endangered Species Act since 2014, taking them from caterpillar through to chrysalis and to release as fully grown butterflies.  His devotion to this cause, as with all things was typified by his love, commitment, enthusiasm, dedication, warmth of personality and humour.

Since Graham passed away many have written about how special he was and how fortunate they were to have known him.  They remember his ever present smile and the warmth, depth and intelligence behind it.  Most of all they recall the sheer pleasure of his company, how good he made them feel, how free they were to be themselves around him and how much they will miss him.  One close friend wrote, “What you saw was what you got with him” - if you were lucky enough to be his friend – Graham was a truly delightful, generous, easy-going and fun loving human being.

Graham, we love you now and will always love you, you will never be forgotten.  As good a man as there ever was, the world is a lesser place without you.

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