YOE HIGH GRADUATE AND HIS FAMILY KILLED IN PLANE CRASH

 (MISSOURI)  A Yoe High Graduate was killed Monday along with his wife and two children in a plaNe crash near Branson Missouri.  Byron “B.J.” Graham, 37 of Mesquite, his wife Lezli, 37, and there two children, 14 year old daughter Kasey, and 3 year old son Cade, were killed in the crash that also killed Lezli’s father, the pilot of the plane, 60 year old Stephen Buchanon of Burleson.

According to reports, the Piper PA-32 single engine plane that seats six,   crashed on take-off Monday in southwest Missouri, then broke apart and caught fire in a thick stand of trees.

Ms. Graham, a Mansfield Summit High School history/government teacher, coached Highland Park High and Ursuline Academy to state soccer championships.  Mr. Graham, a Mesquite police officer, was a former Navy Seal.

Four of the family members died at the scene of the crash at the airport of the College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, which is about 60 miles south of Springfield, Mo. Authorities said the pilot was taken by helicopter to a Springfield hospital, where he died.

Ms. Graham was born in Dallas and graduated from South Garland High School. She graduated from Texas A&M University in 1989.  She married B.J. Graham in 1989, after they met at Texas A&M where Graham was a football player.

Ms. Norman said her daughter and her family often flew with Mr. Buchanan to soccer tournaments. In addition to Lezli’s career as a coach, her daughter Kasey was an avid soccer player.

The airplane had arrived Saturday at the college's airport. It was headed to Cleburne on Monday, according to Tony Molinaro, a spokesman for Federal Aviation Administration.  The plane took off about 9:45 a.m. and plunged about 50 feet into a ravine between the runway and a highway. Black skid marks about 100 yards long were left on the runway indicating that Buchanon tried to abort the take-off.

B.J. Graham was a Yoe High Football standout, playing for the Yoemen in 1983 and 84 under Toby York.  He graduated from Yoe High in 1985 and attended Texas A&M where he also played football.