The Rev. John Graf, Jr. has raised over $100 million for nonprofits around New Jersey.
BEDMINSTER - Well-known Central Jersey community activist the Rev. John Graf, Jr., 57, died suddenly Sunday.
Graf, who served as president and chief executive officer of the United Way of Somerset County from 2005-07, was a well-known ordained non-denominational minister who has been performing ceremonies for over 17 years. He was known as "the minister man."
During his more than 30-year career in public relations and fundraising, he raised over $100 million for nonprofit agencies, schools, government programs, cultural arts and historic organizations. He had helped raise nearly $20 million during his tenure as head of the county's United Way.
In a 2007 interview, as a state law legalizing same-sex marriage was going into effect, Graf said he was ready to be one of the first to officiate at civil unions.
"I'm very excited. Whether it's heterosexual or homosexual, if people love each other, that's the bottom line, " Graf said, adding that no matter what the institution is called, the bottom line is the love couples share. "I decided that I wanted to perform this for a community that has been denied it. I have no barriers. I'm going to treat every couple the same."
Reverend is chosen as a Jefferson Awards recipient
Graf donated all the money he makes from performing weddings to charity. "I do this because I love it and enjoy doing it, " he said.
His career had earned him a number of honors, including, in 2009, being named a New Jersey Jefferson Awards recipient, being picked as 2007 Volunteer of the Year by Alternatives, Inc., being chosen as a Paul Harris Fellow by the Somerville and Bridgewater Rotary Club in 2007, named the 2002 Citizen of the Year from the Somerset County Business Partnership and the 2000 Volunteer of the Year from the Somerset County Chamber of Commerce.
Graf created the Claire & John Graf Family Foundation in memory his mother in 2000, which has donated over $200,000 to charities around New Jersey.
In 2009 served as a member of Raritan Valley Community College's board of trustees and most recently worked as senior director of development at Resource Center of Somerset, Inc. He had also been president of the Rutgers Cagers Club, a fan club supporting Rutgers Athletics.
Graf named a Raritan Valley Community College trustee
In 2011, Graf lost a bid for the seat held by then state Sen. Michael Doherty (R-23rd). Graf, who had been a longtime Republican, ran as a Democrat. He first joined the Democrat party in 2008 after 23 years as a Republican.
Graf, who grew up in South Plainfield, came to Somerset County in 1986 as coordinator of community relations for the Somerset County Vocational and Technical Schools. He moved to Raritan Valley Community College in 1989 and spent six years as its director of college and community relations.
From 1995-97 he worked under Gov. Christine Todd Whitman as public information officer for the New Jersey Department of Transportation and chairman of the Governor's Office of Volunteerism and Community Service.
He returned to Somerset County in 1997 as coordinator of the Somerset County Vocational and Technical Schools Foundation. Graf was marketing administrator for the Somerset County Office on Aging in 2004-05 and president and chief executive officer of the United Way since April 2005.
Graf also sung the national anthem at Somerset Patriots baseball games, Rutgers University men's basketball and women's basketball games, Somerset County Park Commission events and Veterans of Foreign Wars programs.
He received a degree in arts administration and political science from American University in 1981.
Funeral services have not yet been announced.