02/21/2022
GRAHAM HERBERT BLOXHAM, 79, TOLUCA LAKE< CALIFORNIA, died unexpectedly January 14, 2022, at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank due to complications following COVID-19. Graham was born October 29, 1942, in Alderholt, Cranborne, County of Dorset, England, the son of Charles Jeffrey Bloxham and Frances Mabel Crawford Bloxham.
At the age of 15, Graham tested second in all of England for engineering aptitude and was offered a five-year apprenticeship by the Lord Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen. He later became a designer for the Admiralty working as an electrical fitter on such projects as the Chieftain Tank and Australia's Blue Streak Missile, ultimately becoming a full-time designer draftsman with dreams of working for Nasa.
While working as a designer for the Admiralty, Graham became dissatisfied with supervisors receiving credit for his work and decided that his love of the automobile was his real passion. He opened Elmbrook Coachworks, an auto towing and repair facility, in Cheam on the Sutton bypass just outside of London. Achieving success, his shop grew to 28 employees. The employees then organized under the English union system taking with it the joys of running the business. Unhappy with the situation, Graham told all the mechanics and body men to take their tools home as he was closing his business the following Monday. At first, they didn't believe him stating he couldn't do that. Graham replied, "Watch me." They took their tools. Graham closed the shop as promised and he never looked back.
In 1971, Graham sold his Rolls Royce to a Los Angeles attorney for the LA Rams and shipped the car to America. As destiny would have it, the car became entangled in the dock strike of that same year. After bobbing up and down at sea for three months, the attorney discovered his new Rolls would not start. It was cheaper to fly Graham to the US than pay Hornburg of Beverly Hills the $5,000 they wanted to deal with the problem, so a plane ticket was sent.
Graham arrived in Los Angeles and witnessed more Jaguars on the 405 Freeway than in all of England. He decided to start his version of an American dream. He shipped his belongings to the US and started a new life there, never again to return to England for other than a visit.
In 1972, Graham married Cynthia Louise Vogel. Their only child, Jeffrey Crawford Bloxham, was born in March of 1977. The couple ended their marriage some 18 months later and Graham was given physical custody of their son. In 1980 Graham proudly won sole custody of Jeffrey becoming a rare single custodial father of that time.
In 1982, Graham met Natalie Cirello Hunter and her three daughters, Angela Marie, Caroline Elizabeth, and Antoinette Leigh. From their first date, the thirty-nine-year-old lovebirds bound their souls and joined their families, never to be parted. The couple married on December 12, 1987, and raised their blended family together in Toluca Lake, California.
January 10, 1984, Graham and Natalie opened Just Jaguar Car Service in Sherman Oaks, California. Together they grew the business into one of the largest independent Jaguar repair facilities in Southern California with a worldwide customer base. They retired on March 15, 2019, at age 77.
In addition to his parents, Graham is predeceased by his sisters Evelyn Bloxham and Phyllis Bloxham Godfrey, brothers Jeffery John, Lawrence Charles, and Marshall Ernest Albert Bloxham.
Graham is survived by his wife of 40 years, Natalie Jean Cirello Bloxham, his son, Jeffrey Crawford Bloxham of Belmont, California, Natalie's three daughters, Angela Marie Hunter of Ogden, Utah, Caroline Elizabeth Hunter Johnson and husband Donald Jay Johnson of Bloomington, Indiana, and Antoinette Leigh Hunter Shuman and husband David Howard Shuman of West Jordan, Utah, grandchildren, Samantha Rae Johnson Harless and husband Nicholas S. Harless of Middletown, Indiana, Sadie Anne Johnson of Indianapolis, Indiana, Grace Elizabeth Johnson and Molly Anne Johnson of Bloomington, Indiana, Sydney Lauren Shuman, Baily Anne Shuman and Nickolas Wesley Michael Shuman of West Jordan, Utah, Charles Kevin Geiss and Benjamin Joseph Anthony Geiss of Ogden, Utah, and first great-grandchild, Wyatt James Benton Harless of Middletown, Indiana. He is also survived by nephews, Calvin Bloxham of Bedhampton, England, Jeremy Bloxham PhD. of Carrabassette Valley, Maine, Phillip Bloxham of Bedhampton, England, Dr. Anne Bloxham and Simon Bloxham of England.
Per Graham's wishes, he was cremated on January 28, 2022.
The family is planning a celebration of Life on Friday, June 3, 2022, 12:00 PM at the Old North Church at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, 6300 Forest Lawn Drive, Los Angeles, California. There will be no graveside interment as his ashes will remain with his wife until the end of her life. At that time, there will be a double burial.
In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations In Memory of Graham Bloxham be made to either City of Hope, Duarte, California or Providence St. Joseph Medical Center, Burbank, California.
