Larry James Graziani

Born on May 29, 1957, in New Castle, he was the son of Larry and Ethel (Eckhardt) Graziani. After his 1973 field goal led the Red Hurricanes to a WPIAL championship, Mr. Graziani accepted a scholarship to play for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, where he earned a national championship ring in 1977. Always a champion athlete, Larry went on to win the Class A Indiana State Racquetball championship in 1982. Larry’s career path led him to sales, where his successful career took him to Chicago, Los Angeles, and Miami before eventually settling in Evergreen, where he enjoyed an active lifestyle, skiing, and the peaceful nature which surrounded his mountain home there. In 2011, Larry founded Better than Air, a recreational oxygen company that serviced the high altitudes in Colorado. A ceremony had been planned to induct Mr. Graziani into the Lawrence County Historical Society Sports Hall of Fame on April 29, 2018. His children and several family members will attend in his absence to accept his award.

He is preceded in death by his parents and grandparents. He is survived by his son, Shawn, of Denver, CO, and his daughter, Natalie Graziani, of New Castle, PA; his grandchildren Julianna, Elijah and Amarii; his siblings Cynthia Cummins of Huachuca City, AZ, Michael (Annie) Graziani of West Orange, NJ, Maria Graziani of Pittsburgh, PA, and many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Larry was loved deeply by all those most dear to him, including his former teammates, classmates, friends and family, near and far. He will be remembered fondly for his goal-oriented personality, his charming smile, and baby blue eyes.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 28, 2018 at Ed and Don Decarbo’s Funeral Home, 941 S. Mill St. New Castle, PA from 10:00 -11:30am. A second memorial service has been planned near his home in Colorado on Saturday, May 12, 2018. This service will be held at Rockland Community Church at 17 S. Mt. Vernon Country Club Road, Golden, CO at 11:00am.