Vale Graham Murray James

On 4 January 2023, the funeral industry lost one of its greats –Graham Murray James.

Graham James provided 60 years of service to Alfred James & Sons, to the funeral community, and to the people of South Australia. Graham was a man of unwavering morality, generous spirit, and cheeky wit who passed away leaving a legacy of compassion, expertise, and fond memories.

Graham James was National President of the Australian Funeral Directors Association (AFDA) from 1978 to 1980, a Life Member/Life Councillor and recipient of an AFDA Distinguished Service Award (2016).

Graham was nothing if not grammatically correct in his writing and speech. You soon learned just how much you didn’t know about the English language when Graham was present – and look out if you pronounced “h” incorrectly (“aitch” not "haitch")!

Graham also didn’t suffer fools lightly. He could be a hard taskmaster, particularly when it came to his expectation of his team when looking after bereaved families. Yet, his generosity to those who worked for him was limitless.

No one was surprised when Graham continued to pay a sick staff member for six months after their leave ran out, or when he put his hand into his own pocket to pay for the funeral of another employee’s loved one. There was no logic or reason for his generosity, but it was a generosity that changed many lives.

Graham was an incredibly knowledgeable man. His knowledge and, perhaps more importantly, his understanding was unbound. Never truer was the saying “When an old man dies, a library burns to the ground” – the library of Graham James was vast, its shelves brimming with rare books, an expansive archive beyond compare.

Alfred James & Sons was established by Graham’s grandfather in 1922. Alfred James

& Sons today is the embodiment of Graham James’ personality – his high morals, his beliefs, his dedication to the principle that the pursuit of profit must never override the care of the families Alfred James & Sons serves.

Although Graham had no choice but to step back in later years, thanks to the pandemic and ill health, he still checked in on the business every single day – in fact, twice a day. He never lost interest in knowing how the business was travelling, but just as importantly to see if he knew any of the families. And every time Graham rang, when asked how he was, his reply was always the same “Well, I’m awake and vertical, so that’s something”.

In the words of Philip Murray from Alfred James & Sons “Awake and vertical. How I wish he still was.”

Our thoughts are with Judy, the James family and the Alfred James & Sons team at this time.

Thank you to Philip Murray, Alfred James & Sons for his assistance in writing this article.