Joseph Jason DeGraw

Joseph Jason DeGraw, 36, of Green River passed away Jan. 19, 2015 at his home. A resident of Green River for the past four years and former resident of Laramie, DeGraw passed away due to complications of congestive heart failure.

He was born on Sept. 14, 1978 in Ridgewood, N.J., the son of Jason George DeGraw and Joanne Ameila Sheffel.

DeGraw attended schools in Coolidge and Eisenhower Elementary in Wyckoff, N.J. and graduated from Ramapo High School with the class of 1997. He attended Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.  He also earned a masters degree in finance at the University of Wyoming. While attending Marist College he had worked on special projects, including an internship at the New York Federal Reserve.

He moved to Green River to join Tata Chemical for a year and then worked as a financial analyst at J.D. Financial Management for three years.

DeGraw was a member and treasurer of the Monroe Avenue Baptist Church in Green River, member of the Wyoming Fly Casters and served on the board of the Green River Basin Federal Credit Union. He also volunteered in Big Brothers and Big Sisters programs, sharing his love of fishing by teaching kids to fly fish on the weekends.

Survivors include his parents Jason George DeGraw of Ridgewood, N.J. and Joanne Amelia Tidewell of Kent, Ohio; girlfriend Carole Shafer of Gillette; two brothers, Jack DeGraw and wife Geremi of Independence, Kan., Shaun Kane of Greenwood Lake, N.Y.;  one sister, Elizabeth Domingez of Clifton, N.J.;  11 cousins, three nieces and two nephews, which include Kennedy DeGraw, Alexis DeGraw, Emily DeGraw, Grayson DeGraw, all of Independence, Kan.; Antiquan Domingez of Clifton, N.J.;  grandparents, Joe Sheffel of Ramsey, N.J. and Joanne Sheffel of Sarasota, Fla..

He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, George and Elizabeth DeGraw, one aunt, Ellen Vanderwall; and two uncles, Peter Farrin and Jim Rapp.

The family of Joseph Jason DeGraw respectfully request that donations be made in his memory to the Monroe Avenue Baptist Church at 295 Monroe Avenue in Green River.

Following cremation memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday at Monroe Avenue Baptist Church. Pastor Bill Morris will conduct the services. Friends may call one hour prior to services.