Dr. Michael Alvin Graven September 3, 1959 - March 8, 2022 Loving husband, father, and friend Michael Alvin Graven passed at the age of 62 on March 8 th 2022. He was born on September 3 rd 1959 in Iowa City, Iowa. He lived in many US states and 2 Canadian provinces, and most recently he lived with his wife and mother-in-law in Riverview Florida. He is survived by his wife Sarah Graven, his two sons Maxwell and Ian Graven, and two kitties Doodle and Boo. Michael Graven was an amazing, loving, selfless man who put the needs of others before his own at every turn. The work he did allowed him to save hundreds of thousands of lives by building health information systems in developing countries and he did it all voluntarily. Michael had anything but a simple life, from being a professional fisherman to a neonatologist. He was extremely well traveled, and a master linguist. Of the places he traveled, Norway was his absolute favorite place. He had many things that he enjoyed in his spare time. He was a lover of history, food, video games, music and movies. When he found something that he liked, he would watch it or read it over and over. After he discovered The Mitchells vs. the Machines, he watched it over 20 times. Ian’s favorite memory of him is when Michael and Ian went on a week-long canoe trip with Boy Scouts and their fathers in the boundary waters of Minnesota. Michael would re-tell the story, over and over, of how Ian and he worked the hardest and carried the most packs over the portages. They shared summer sausage on the harder portages, and summer sausage still reminds Ian of the trip. Max loved hearing Michael tell stories. Of the stories he would tell, this was Max’s favorite. When Max was just two and a half years old, on a hike in Alaska, he wandered off briefly and fell into a cold river. Not only was the river freezing cold, but it had a steep waterfall not far down stream. Michael thinking fast, jumped into the river, fished him out with one hand, and carried him to safety. Max was so cold his lips were blue, but he was otherwise unharmed, all due to Michael’s quick thinking and decisive action. Sarah’s favorite story. “It’s hard to pick one moment in 35 years of marriage. My favorite memory is how he proposed. We met when I lived in West Palm. My best friend there was Joy Small. Michael called her, found out my ring size and told her his plans for our engagement. She was so happy to be involved. She helped me pack my suitcase. Joy told me I needed to pack for warm weather and freezing cold weather, to bring a bathing suit and snow boots. I was going fly to Tampa around March 27. I didn't know where I was going but she did. I flew to Tampa not knowing where I was going to end up and Mike met me at the airport. Back then in 1988 we didn't have much security so you could just run and catch your plane at the last minute. So, we got in the air, and we landed in Denver Co. When we got off the plane, we were met by one of his best friends from college, Dave and Laurel Krueger who was married and had two young girls Hilary and Jenny. They were all very excited, Laurel and two little girls all giggly and I thought this was a very interesting trip. They took us to a hotel, and I remember having a picnic in the rooms of this hotel with the sweet family that had brought dinner. The next day we went swimming in Hot Springs where there was snow all around the spring. It looked like it was this big man-made swimming area and some of it was natural. It was so odd to go from the heat of Florida to the freezing cold of Colorado. We just had the best time. The next day we drove over to mount Aspen. Dave and Laurel and the two girls went somewhere, I suppose they were preparing for our return. Mike and I went up on the mountain on a gondola. There was still snow on the mountain; there were people still skiing and it was beautiful and sunny and perfect. We got to the top of the mountain, and we started walking around. He told me he had a question and then, as I was trying to figure out if this is what I think it is, he went to kneel and he sunk down into the snow, and he proposed. He had the ring that his brother Doug had helped him pick out, and Joy helped get my ring size. The ring was beautiful and sparkly in the snow. I said yes of course and then we went to the little restaurant on the top of the mountain, and we had like a little celebratory cup of coffee and hot chocolate. I have a photo of that somewhere. So, we take the gondola down the mountain and there's David, Laurel and their little girls at the bottom of the mountain with a homemade sign that says congratulations with little children’s handprints and their contributions on it. They were so excited, and we had another picnic in the cold, in a parking lot. It was just so fun. We were dressed for it so it wasn't bad, but I had to jump up and down to keep warm 'cause I’m a Florida girl. When he would tell the story he would say “I had to take her to the top of a mountain to propose so she would have hypoxia and say yes because she couldn't think straight.” He knew I loved him, and he knew I'd say yes. It was just perfect.” PLU biography of Michael: https://www.plu.edu/resolute/fall-2017/michael-graven-81/ “His life journey blazed a trail which touched so many people, saved so many lives, that he will never be forgotten.” - Vanessa Roman. “He was a wonderful man with a genuine and luminous soul.” - Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “His legacy around the world was about putting others first, saving lives and caring about those in need.” - Douglas Graven. Upcoming Events Visitation: Thursday, March 17, 2022 12 pm to 1pm First Baptist Church 302 W Kennedy Blvd Tampa, FL 33606 Funeral Service: Thursday, March 17, 2022 1 pm First Baptist Church 302 W Kennedy Blvd Tampa, FL 33606