Fred Edward Graf was born June 8, 1894 in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. To pursue a career in law, he attended the University of Idaho from 1916 to 1922. During his time at the university, he frequently participated in athletics, clubs, and other campus activities. Fred's list of activities included becoming the Freshman Class Vice President, a reporter for the Idaho Argonaut, the Sophomore Class President, Treasurer of the ASUI, and Vice President of his senior class. He also played on the Vandal football team and did track.

Fred was a member of the Bench and Bar Association, the "I" Club, the Coeur d'Alene Club, the Phi Alpha Delta (a professional law fraternity), and the Sigma Nu fraternity. Fred additionally served as 1st Lieutenant in the university's Cadet Battalion, 75th Infantry U.S. Company A, and was drafted in 1917 and sent to Camp Lewis in Washington state.

After graduating he also served on the board of supervisors for the ASUI acting as the Graduate Manager of Athletics in 1923. In 1927 while living in San Diego, California, Fred was elected president of the U of I alumni club of southern California. He passed on December 25, 1979 in San Diego, California.