GRAFS TRADE ACTIVE CAREERS FOR BUSTLING RETIREMENT.

Byline: BETTIE RENCORET SENIOR COLUMNIST

PALMDALE -- Don Graf has been a horticulturist for most of his adult life.

At age 19, he went to work as a park ranger. After five years, he hired on at Los Angeles County's Descanso Gardens.

Fifty years later, he retired from that job.

He may have left the gardens, but the influence of his tenure there has not left him.

He's the kind of guy who, when he walks about, he stops to examine each unfamiliar bit of vegetation he encounters. If he finds it interesting enough, he brings a piece of it home to study and, perhaps, plant.

His Palmdale mobile home grounds are resplendent with colorful desert plants and flowers.

Graf and Maggie, his wife of 49 years, have always been involved in community affairs. They are dedicated volunteers. Even though they are 2005 transplants from La Canada, where they lived for 35 years, they are already deep into Palmdale activities.

They both serve on the Community Police Advisory Board, both regularly volunteer their help with the distribution of food to the needy, and only recently Maggie was named to the Palmdale Housing Authority board.

They are very conscious of their neighbors and make it a point to look out for those who may be frail.

``Our priest used to call us Father Don and Mother Maggie,'' said Maggie with a laugh.

In 1995, after 23 years, Maggie stepped down from her position as an editor with the La Canada Valley Sun newspaper.

``I didn't retire, actually. I quit when the paper was sold,'' she said. ``I mostly stayed home and raised the kids.''

``The kids'' are Christopher, who lives in La Quinta and teaches English and journalism at Indio High School, and Timothy, of Los Osos, a watch commander at the Diablo Canyon Power Plant.

``We've always taken a lot of trips,'' said Graf. ``We had housing on the grounds at Descanso Gardens and I was on call 24 hours a day. We had to take trips in order to get away once in a while.''

They still like to travel.

``We'll go anywhere we can go,'' said Maggie. ``We love to cruise and we've been to Europe twice. We're getting more traveling done now with the J & J Social and Travel Club.''

Don is an accomplished painter and most of his work is reminiscent of his ecological expertise: trees and other flora in colorful landscapes to reflect his former ranger occupation. He's also into photography. Maggie reads a lot, a reflection of her love for the written word.

Their community service awards, including ones from former state Sen. Newt Russell and Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, are numerous.

Don has been the recipient of the Los Angeles County Employee of the Year award. Both are longtime Kiwanis Club members. Don is also a life member of the Descanso Bonsai Society and is past president of the California Association of Nurserymen.

They were so prominent in civic affairs in La Canada that they were called back this year to serve as grand marshals for the city's Memorial Day Parade, riding in a Ford Model A.

Don's full beard makes him a natural to be a Santa at Christmastime. He and Maggie sometimes rode in on a firetruck and at least once were flown into a La Canada park in a helicopter to portray Mr. and Mrs. Claus for the Chamber of Commerce. On one occasion, he talked to about 350 children, he said, and he has been unable to forget the request of one little girl.

``She whispered in my ear that what she really wanted was a pet rat. I was hesitant because I didn't think she would get that but I told her I'd do what I could. Later she came back and said `Oh, yes. I also need a cage.'''

He said he has always felt bad about that incident. ``I've always wished I'd gotten her name. If I had, I'd have taken her that pet rat and cage myself.''

Menus for the week at the senior life nutrition sites in Lancaster and Palmdale have been announced. All meals include bread, margarine and coffee, tea or milk for a suggested donation of $2.

Monday: Fish sandwich or burger, macaroni salad, pork and beans, tapioca pudding.

Tuesday: Mushroom chicken, wild rice, vegetables, Caesar salad, orange.

Wednesday: Roast beef, mashed potato, spinach, marinated salad, cake.

Thursday: Great Northern beans and ham, carrots, coleslaw, gelatin with fruit.

Friday: Tamale pie, Spanish rice, green beans, tossed salad, pears.

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Photo:

(color) Don and Maggie Graf, who moved to Palmdale in 2005 from La Canada, have quickly put down roots in their new community.

Bettie Rencoret/Special to the Daily News