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James Robert Grahne, enthusiastic outdoorsman

October 4, 2021

James Robert “Jim” Grahne, 78, passed away Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020, from COVID-19 at the Country Rest Home in Greenwood after three years of long-term care for Alzheimer’s Disease.

Jim was born Ove Sigurd Frejborg in Borga, Finland, on Dec. 14, 1941, to Martha Frejborg and Sigurd Frejborg. He immigrated to the United States at the age of 13 with his mother, Martha; sister, Kerstin; and stepfather, Gunnar Grahne. At the time of his citizenship, at age 16, Jim changed his name to James Robert Grahne. He was preceded in death by his mother, Martha Frejborg Grahne; father, Sigurd Frejborg; stepfather, Gunnar Grahne, and niece Tina Los.

Jim graduated from John Jay High School in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1960 where he met Linda Johnson, his high school sweetheart and wife of 59 years. He was a graduate of RCA Institutes in New York City where he received an electrical engineering degree. After working for ABC Radio and CBS Television in New York City, KIRO-TV in Seattle, Wash., and CBS Television in Washington, D.C., he was hired in 1970 by the United States Senate, Office of the Sergeant at Arms, as an engineer to facilitate the Senate Recording Studio’s 1971 transition from 16mm film to video. In 1986, Jim was instrumental in the engineering and installation of cameras in the Senate Chamber. It was Jim’s leadership that made the broadcast of the proceedings from the Senate floor technically possible. During 1987, Jim was made director of the Senate Recording Studio, a position he held for 10 years. In 1993, the Senate Photographic Studio was also put under Jim’s direction. During his tenure as director, Jim and his Senate staff successfully oversaw the installation of a fiber-optic network for the broadcast of committee hearings, CD-ROM and online photo database services for members’ offices, and pioneered the use of closed-captioning text, and audio and visual technologies.

Jim retired from the Senate in 1997 after 27 years of dedicated service. He worked in the private sector for five additional years before retiring permanently to Lewes. He and Linda enjoyed spending winters in Delray Beach, Fla. Jim was an enthusiastic outdoorsman and his passion was sailing his boat on the Chesapeake Bay. He was an avid gardener, loved to bike, ski, fish, and was a volunteer at Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes.

Jim was a devoted husband, father and grandfather, and passed along his love of nature to his family. He is survived by his wife, Linda; son, Mark Grahne (Jodi) of Delaware; daughters Lena Grahne Davis of Woodstock, Georgia and Karen Grahne of Delray Beach, grandchildren Megan, Sean, Peyton, Grayson and Emma; sister Kerstin Hersey (Bob) of Florida; nephews Eric Sartori of California and Craig Sartori of Florida; sister-in-law Greta Riley of New Jersey; nephew Lester Riley of New Jersey; and niece Emolyn Stewart of Florida.

A private interment for Jim was held at Bethel Methodist Cemetery in Lewes, and at a later date at Borga Cemetery in Borga, Finland.

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