An obituary appears today in the paid section placed by Lally Weymouth for her brother, Bill Graham, age 69. They are the children of the late Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham, featured right now in Steven Spielberg’s movie “The Post.”
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Their father, Phil Graham, Katharine’s husband, died in August 1963 from a gun shot to the head. According to the Washington Post notice for Bill Graham, he died the same way on December 20th in Los Angeles. What a shame. Condolences to the family.
Bill Graham’s death comes at a moment when his mother is being celebrated– portrayed by Meryl Streep in the movie– for the courage to publish The Pentagon Papers. In the movie, Lally Weymouth is also depicted, played by Allison Brie. The Grahams had two other sons, Donald and Stephen, who survive their brother.
A big part of “The Post” is the story of Phil Graham’s suicide, which catalyzed his wife from society hostess to publisher. It’s a sad irony that at a time when the Grahams should be basking in the glow of that courage that they are mourning this kind of loss again.
The Grahams sold the Post to Amazon owner Jeff Bezos in 2013.