Graeme was born and raised in Rondebosch on 10 April 1939 and attended Bishops, completing matric in 1956. He graduated from University of Cape Town as a land surveyor and married Joan Natalie McEwen in 1964. They raised their family in Constantia but he moved back to Rondebosch to spend his retirement years in his childhood area. He is survived and missed by his 3 sons, his daughter, son and daughters-in-law and 7 grandchildren.