Marc D. Graff

Marc David Graff died on June 2, 2023 at the age of 74 at his home in Porter Ranch, California. Marc was born in 1948 in Chicago, IL to Norman and Phyllis (Firestone) Graff. After living in Illinois, Missouri, and Kansas, the family moved to northern California. Marc attended Aragon High School in San Mateo, California, followed by the University of California, Berkeley, where he received his BA in Zoology (1970). Marc received his MD from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine (1974). Marc completed his internship and residency in psychiatry at the University of Rochester, and then a stint at the University of Pittsburgh before moving to Los Angeles, California in 1980 for further studies at Pardee RAND Graduate School. In 1972, Marc married Laura Kunstler, whom he met while they were both students at the University of Chicago. They had two children. After their divorce, Marc married Karin Forrest in 2004. They had two cairn terriers, Thaney and Mungo. Marc worked as a psychiatrist for many years, most recently at the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health. He also worked for the Southern California Permanente Medical Group as a partner psychiatrist, and he held various positions at the American Psychiatric Association. His work as a member and past president of the Desert Tortoise Council was a testament to his love of animals and nature. He loved feeding and enjoying his backyard wildlife, reading and acquiring books, and attending arts and craft shows. Marc’s passing is mourned by his friends and family, especially his children, Rebecca (Ryan) and Benjamin; his grandson, Alexander; his siblings, Wendy (Darryl), Steven (Kim), and Douglas (Cindy); and many beloved nieces and nephews and their families. He was predeceased by his second wife, Karin, who died from pancreatic cancer in 2021.