Clyde Henry "Pete" Graf, a teacher, travel agent and research biologist, died Tuesday of prostate cancer at his home in Abingdon, Harford County. He was 84.
The Pittsburgh native was awarded a track scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh, where he received a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in education.
He and three other members of the Pitt relay team ran a record 3:14.8 mile in the Penn Relays in Philadelphia in 1939. The tournament record stood until 1950.
Mr. Graf entered the Army Air Corps in 1942. He was honorably discharged as a private first class in 1945.
He then moved to Abingdon and taught health and physical education at Bel Air High School from 1945 to 1952. Mr. Graf later became a research biologist at Aberdeen Proving Ground's Edgewood Area, a facility for research, development and testing of chemical weapons.
In Maryland, he wore his letterman's jacket, which sported a large "P" on the back, the University of Pittsburgh's logo. His friends teased him, asking whether the "P" stood for "Peter." For Mr. Graf, who had always disliked his first name, it was a relief," said his daughter, Meri "Meg" Rambo of Abingdon. He often introduced himself as "Pete from Pitt." He named one of his sons C. Peter Graf because "Dad did not want to pass on a name he did not like," his daughter said.
At the Edgewood facility, Mr. Graf began organizing vacation tours for fellow employees. The trips grew in size until "he was literally chartering whole aircraft," Mrs. Rambo said.
While arranging a trip to Hawaii, he met Stephanie Hull of Westminster, Mrs. Rambo said. They were married in 1969. He was 18 years older than his wife, but, Mrs. Rambo said, their three children "kept him very young."
In 1971, Mr. Graf started Graf's Travel Agency in Edgewood. After he retired from the laboratory in 1974, the family took frequent trips, including yearly vacations to Bermuda, Mrs. Rambo said.
"We were always being pulled out of school," she said. Although teachers complained, Mrs. Rambo said her father would say, "They'll learn more going somewhere than sitting here."
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1100 Philadelphia Road in Joppa.
In addition to his wife, daughter and son, Mr. Graf is survived by another son, Paul Graf of Chase; and two grandsons.