Point Reyes Light - December 18, 2003
Former publisher Graeser of Inverness dies at 88
By Larken Bradley
Longtime Inverness resident Micky Graeser, who with her late husband Fred Graeser, was co-publisher of The Montclarian, a prominent weekly newspaper in the Oakland hills, died Monday, Dec. 8, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she had lived for the past year. Mrs. Graeser, 88, suffered from complications related to mitral valve prolapse.
For 32 years, Mr. and Mrs. Graeser published one of the most successful weeklies in California, which they purchased in 1944 for $100.
In 1977 the couple sold the paper and retired to Inverness. Mrs. Graeser served two terms on the board of the Point Reyes National Seashore Association, and became a charter member of the Teacher’s Beach Association.
Restless retirement
A few years into their retirement, restless without the pressure of newspaper deadlines, the Graesers began publishing the Press of Inverness, a weekly newsletter chronicling events on the western shore of Tomales Bay. In 1992, after a nine-year run, the pair stopped the presses for good after health problems crept up.
Mary Leonora Laird was born on Feb. 21, 1915, in Canton, China, one of three daughters whose father was a chemistry professor and dean of the college of arts and sciences at Lingnan University. Her mother was director of nursing at Lingnan University Hospital.
At age 13 she began studying at Shanghai American School in Hong Kong. As one of five girls named Mary living in the residence hall, she was given the nickname Micky, which stuck for the rest of her life.
While her family remained in China she attended Claremont High School, Los Angeles County, and went on to Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania where she earned a psychology degree in 1936.
A year later, in poor health, she returned to China. "The day her boat sailed from the United States," noted her son, Laird Graeser, "the Japanese crossed the bridge from Manchuria, launching their invasion of China."
She remained in China as an English and psychology teacher at the Overseas School. In 1938, reported to be the last American woman left in Canton, "the powers that be decided it was too dangerous for her to remain," her son said. She returned to the US, accepted a job at Pomona College in southern California, and enrolled in a graduate program.
Later that year she met her husband-to-be in a college production of "The Queen’s Husband," in which they both had roles. They married on June 23, 1939, in Laguna Beach.
Journey in China
Her parents, who had been interned when the Japanese invaded Hong Kong, were repatriated in 1942. Because of travel limitations imposed by the war, Mrs. Graeser’s attempts to journey cross-country by train to meet them were unsuccessful. Her mother died just a few weeks after their refugee ship berthed in New York.
Three years later the Graesers bought the name The Montclarian, along with a small subscriber’s list from a real estate developer. Thanks to a grocer who agreed to buy a half-page advertisement each week, the paper was born. While Mr. Graeser handled editorial and production matters, Mrs. Graeser ran the business end of the weekly.
"Her life plan was to help Fred realize his dream of publishing an influential newspaper," her son remarked. "The Montclarian was the focus of their life together."
After 20 years on the newsstand, Mrs. Graeser’s name was finally added to The Montclarian’s masthead. Once asked why it took him so long to acknowledge his wife as co-publisher, Mr. Graeser said, "I never thought of it," family members said.
A petite woman who, toward the end of her life, was "tinier than a minute," noted her son, Mrs. Graeser made up for her size by shooting from the hip.
Sometimes prickly, "I think she was proud of the fact that her character was a lot taller than her body," her son observed.
Noted friend Ken Levin of Point Reyes Station, "in many ways she was always the Chinese princess."
Indeed, as girls growing up in China, Mrs. Graeser and her two sisters were each assigned her own private servant, recalled neighbor Margot Wing.
The ‘smartest woman’
"Overall," said her son, "I’ve always said the one-sentence description of Micky is, ‘think of the smartest woman you know and add 10 I.Q. points.’"
Her husband of 61 years died in the spring of 2000.
Mrs. Graeser is survived by her daughter, Catherine Graeser of Colorado Springs; sons and daughters-in-law, Laird and Jonelle Graeser of Santa Fe; and Mark and Karen Ann Graeser of Indianapolis; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
A reception will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 27, at the Dance Palace, to be followed by a memorial service at 2:30 p.m. also at the Dance Palace.
The family has suggested that any memorial contributions be made to Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT); or to the American Friends Service Committee.