The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame joins with the family of Kelly DeGraffenreid in mourning the recent passing of a former southwest Missouri basketball standout.
DeGraffenreid passed away on June 2. He was 77.
The Hall of Fame recognized Kelly and his brothers as part of the Filbert Five Awards in 2011. The awards spotlight former high school and college standouts who made positive impacts in the game of basketball.
Six DeGraffenreid brothers graduated over a 12-year span. Kelly, the oldest, graduated from Bolivar High School in 1962, two years after helping the Liberators win the Class M basketball state championship. He went on to play basketball at Southwest Baptist University and later spent 31 years working for Shelter Insurance in Monett.
Terry and his twin brother, Jerry, a 6-foot-2 forward, played four years and graduated in 1969. A year later, Rick graduated and earned a scholarship to the University of Oklahoma. Randy also was a standout before graduation in 1970. Terry went on to play basketball at Southwest Baptist University and eventually became a Shelter Insurance agent in Cassville. Ron DeGraffenreid, a guard, graduated in 1965.
Kelly is survived by his wife Donna, of 57 years; his daughter and son-in-law Stacy and David DeSutter; brother Jerry (Marian); brother Rick (Alexis); brother Randy (Linda); sister-in-law Brenda DeGraffenreid; sister-in-law Carolyn Burks (Gary); brother-in-law Mike Brown (Traci); numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Dorothy DeGraffenreid; and brothers Ron and Terry DeGraffenreid.
