View source for Burket Eugene Graf (1918-2007), Architect

<div style="white-space:nowrap;font-size:125%">'''Lincoln, Nebraska, 1941-1991'''</div style="white-space:nowrap;font-size:125%">

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'''Burket Eugene Graf''' was born in Beatrice, Nebraska, on May 26, 1918 to Hazel Lucile and Fordyce Havilah Graf. He attended the University of Nebraska and graduated in 1939 with an AB and in 1941 with a BA in architecture, with Distinction. He served in the Naval Air Corps in the South Pacific in WWII, on active duty from 1942-1946. He also served in the Naval Reserve for 21 years, retiring with the rank of Commander in 1978. His architectural practice in Lincoln included numerous residences, commercial buildings, and churches. Burket married (1st) Nanette (''nee Hope'') in 1952. They had four children.[[#References|[4][7]]][[#Notes|[a]]] In 1972 he married (2nd) Sheila Lee (''nee Dickinson'') Dinsmore (1923-1996). He died in Lincoln at the age of 89 in 2007.[[#References|[1][3]]][[#Notes|[b]]]

This page is a contribution to the publication, '''[[Place Makers of Nebraska: The Architects]]'''. See the [[Format and contents of Nebraska architect entries|format and contents]] page for more information on the compilation and page organization.

==Compiled Nebraska Directory Listings==
Lincoln, Nebraska, 

==Educational & Professional Associations==
1935: graduated from Beatrice High School, Beatrice, Nebraska.

1939: earned AB, University of Nebraska, College of Arts & Sciences, Lincoln, Nebraska ('''UN-L''').

1941: earned BA with distinction, architecture, UN-L.

1941-1991: architect, Lincoln, Nebraska.

1941-1942: architect, Federal Housing Administration.

1946-1947: instructor in architecture, UN-L.

1970-1991: member of architectural consortium in various combinations with [[Martin Inglis Aitken (1907-1974), Architect|'''Martin Aitken''']], [[Nathan Bruce Hazen (1897-1985), Architect|'''Bruce Hazen''']], [[Warren Woodrow “Woody” Hull (1912-1985), Architect|'''Woody Hull''']], and [[LeRoy William (Bill) Hoffman (1926-2014), Architect & Engineer|'''Bill Hoffman''']], Lincoln, Nebraska.

1985-1987: assistant professor in architecture, UN-L.

==Other Associations==
1942-1946: Naval Air Corps, US Navy, active duty in South Pacific.

1947-1978: US Naval Reserve, retiring 1978 with rank of Commander.

==Buildings & Projects==
===Dated===
Wm. T. Edwards house (1949, with playroom addition in 1957), 5501 (sometimes called 5555) A Street, Lincoln, Nebraska.[[#References|[8]]]

Gary Hunt house (1950), 1140 Piedmont Road, Lincoln, Nebraska.[[#References|[9]]]

Mrs. Margaret (Geo. H) Rogers duplex (1951), 725 South 14th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska.[[#References|[10]]]

Putney house (1952), 1213 Crestdale Road, Lincoln, Nebraska.[[#References|[11]]]

Burket & Nanette Graf residence (1956, with addition in 1967), 4303 Franklin, Lincoln, Nebraska.[[#References|[6][12]]]

St. David's Episcopal Church (1955-1956), 63rd & Judson (3232 N. 63rd), Lincoln, Nebraska.[[#References|[19]]][[#Notes|[c]]]

Richard D. Wilson residence (1956), 1145 Piedmont Road, Lincoln, Nebraska.[[#References|[13]]]

Buffalo Motel addition (1956-1957), 347 N. 48th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska.[[#References|[14][15]]]

Vine Congregational Church (1957), 1800 Twin Ridge Road, Lincoln, Nebraska.[[#References|[16][17]]]

Bethany Branch, Lincoln City Libraries (1958), 1810 North Cotner Blvd., Lincoln, Nebraska.[[#References|[18][19]]]

University (of Nebraska) Episcopal Student home and chapel (1958-1960, 1965), 1309 R Street, Lincoln, Nebraska.[[#References|[22-24]]][[#Notes|[d]]]

Additions to St. Matthew's Episcopal Church (1960), 2325 S. 24th St., Lincoln, Nebraska.[[#References|[25]]]

Morley Elementary School (1960-1961), 6800 Monterey Drive, Lincoln, Nebraska.[[#References|[26]]]

Office for Buffalo Motel (1961), 347 North 48th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska.[[#References|[27]]]

Dr. Robert Burton house (1961), 3909 South 37th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska.[[#References|[28]]]

Hyman Polsky house (1963), 3035 O'Reilly, Lincoln, Nebraska.[[#References|[29]]]

Everett Evnen house (1964), 3020 O'Reilly, Lincoln, Nebraska.[[#References|[30]]]

Joseph Cipriano house (1964), 3730 Prescott, Lincoln, Nebraska.[[#References|[31]]]

Addition and remodel for John C. & Catherine Angle house (1964), 1524 Crestline Drive, Lincoln, Nebraska.[[#References|[32]]][[#Notes|[e]]]

Donald W. Miller house (1965), 1121 Hilltop Road, Lincoln, Nebraska.[[#References|[33]]]

Richard Thompson house (1965), 2915 Bonacum Drive, Lincoln, Nebraska.[[#References|[34]]]

House (1965), 2909 Bonacum Drive, Lincoln, Nebraska.[[#References|[35]]]

House (1965), 1203 Bonacum Drive, Lincoln, Nebraska.[[#References|[36]]]


===Undated===

==Notes==
a. Nanette (''nee Hope'') Graf was a native of California.  She received her undergraduate and master's education at Stanford in English before coming to Lincoln in the early 1950s to teach English at University of Nebraska. She taught at Nebraska Wesleyan for 28 years. In 1991, she received her PhD in English from UNL.[[#References|[7]]]

b. Burket and his second wife, Sheila, are both recognized as community philanthropists by Lincoln Community Foundation.[[#References|[3]]]

c. St. David's sold the property in 1994 and the Graf-designed church is no longer extant (2025).[[#References|[21]]]

d. Graf's 1958 design for a single-story Episcopal "student house" attached to a tall, narrow "chapel" was published in 1958. The location at 13th & R was adjacent to the UN-L City Campus. A building permit for the low "student house" was issued in 1960; the chapel followed five years later.[[#References|[22-24]]]

e. 1524 Crestline Drive was built for the Angle family in 1959 (Lincoln Building Permit 74054). The property is within "Park Manor Historic Residential District," listed on National Register of Historic Places.
 
==References==
1. "Burket E. Graf" (obituary), ''Lincoln (Nebraska) Journal Star'' (June 21, 2007), 14.

2. Roger Bruhn, "Building Beauty: Architect and Philanthropist has Designs on Community," ''L Magazine'' (December 2002), 46-47 (illustrated with portrait). 

3. "Burket E. Graf" and "Sheila Dickinson Dinsmore Graf", ''Lincoln Community Foundation: Empowering Donors'', on-line database accessed January 28, 2025, at https://www.lcf.org/empowering-donors/benefactors/detail/Burket-E--Graf* and https://www.lcf.org/empowering-donors/benefactors/detail/Sheila-Dickinson-Dinsmore-Graf*

4. "Weds Nebraskan" (announcement of wedding of B. E. Graf & Nanette Hope), ''Sioux City (Iowa) Journal'' (July 26, 1952), 3.

5. "To Live in Lincoln" (announcement of marriage of Mrs. Sheila (''nee Dickinson'') Dinsmore and Burket E. Graf), ''Lincoln (Nebraska) Journal Star'' (January 11, 1972), 8.

6. "In the Lincoln Record Book--Building Permits" (for Burket E. Graf, new residence, 4303 Franklin), ''Lincoln (Nebraska) Star'' (February 16, 1956), 25. 

7. "Dr. Nanette 'Nan' Hope Graf" (obituary), ''Lincoln (Nebraska) Journal Star'' (October 26, 2018), A4.

8. City of Lincoln building permit #49323, issued April 8, 1949; 1957 playroom addition by permit #70796.

9. City of Lincoln building permit #54160, issued December 15, 1950. 

10. City of Lincoln building permit #56791, issued December 12, 1951. 

11. City of Lincoln building permit #57132, issued March 6, 1952. 

12. City of Lincoln building permit #68105, issued February 10, 1956; 1967 addition by permit #95134.

13. City of Lincoln building permit #70036, issued November 5, 1956.

14. City of Lincoln building permit #70178, issued 1956; demolished.

15. "Local Motel Plans To Add 8 Units," ''Lincoln (Nebraska) Star'' (January 5, 1957), 3.

16. City of Lincoln building permit #70829, issued 1957.

17. "Vine Congregational Building to Commence Immediately," ''Lincoln (Nebraska) Star'' (May 8, 1957), 13.

18. City of Lincoln building permit #73226, issued 1958.

19. "$37,420 Pacts Signed for Bethany Library...Work Begins in 10 Days," ''Lincoln (Nebraska) Star'' (August 14, 1958), 2.

20. "St. David's Breaking Ground Today for Their New Building," ''Lincoln (Nebraska) Journal Star'' (September 18, 1955), 41.

21. "Realty...Transfers...St. David's Episcopal Church to Thompson...," ''Lincoln (Nebraska) Star'' (April 3, 1994), 39.

22. "Episcopal chapel and student house to be at 13th & R," ''Lincoln (Nebraska) Journal Star'' (March 6, 1958), 21, (illustrated with rendering).

23. City of Lincoln building permit #77543, issued October 14, 1960. 

24. City of Lincoln building permit #89482, "add church," issued March 31, 1965.

25. City of Lincoln building permit #77615, issued 1960.

26. "May Morley Drawings OKd," ''Lincoln (Nebraska) Journal Star'' (February 9, 1960), 3.

27. City of Lincoln building permit #77966, issued 1961.

28. City of Lincoln building permit #79806, issued 1961.

29. City of Lincoln building permit #84936, issued October 7, 1963.

30. City of Lincoln building permit #85832, issued March 9, 1964.

31. City of Lincoln building permit #87014, issued July 7, 1964.

32. City of Lincoln building permit #88632, issued October 15, 1964.

33. City of Lincoln building permit #89289, issued January 26, 1965.

34. City of Lincoln building permit #90243, issued June 8, 1965.

35. City of Lincoln building permit #

36. City of Lincoln building permit # 

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