Boat race victims remembered at joint funeral

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"For him, racing was pedal to the metal. There was no other way,"said Dejana, 68, of Sands Point. "Phil and Kevin raced on Sunday.They raced to win. They didn't win. They lost. We all lost,big-time."

Dejana, 62, of Bayville, and Graff, 48, of Port Washington, diedSunday when their 37-foot, twin-engine catamaran flipped during theBattle on the Bay powerboat race off Patchogue. The boat wastraveling between 90 and 100 mph, officials said.

Suffolk police are still investigating the cause of the crash.

Graff, an electrician, and Dejana, vice president of DejanaIndustries, a facilities maintenance company, were friends and golfpartners who raced together on the Aero Express Race Team. Dejanawas married more than 40 years to his wife, Linda, and Graff wasengaged to be married.

"We ought to be celebrating their lives, not mourning theirdeaths," said Peter Dejana, who called his brother his "lifelongcollaborator."

"But for me," he said, pausing to choke back tears, "this is not atime for celebration. ... For me, this is a time for mourning."

Dejana said his brother was a "weather aficionado" who trackedstorms on his office computer and helped company employees shovelsnow.

"All the workers at Dejana, when it snows, they will miss him,"Peter Dejana said.

Graff loved "all things fast," said his nephew and godson, RyanRoberts, who said his uncle's childhood nickname was "Kevie Boy."

Roberts said Graff was known as "Uncle Candy Man" to his nieces andnephews because he often favored them with sweets.

"He will continue to live through the incredible life that we allshared," Roberts said.

Graff's niece Courtney Steinaway recalled conversations with heruncle in the family's backyard. "You were like a father to me," shesaid.

Dejana and Graff were buried Thursday at Nassau Knolls Cemetery inPort Washington.