Deloris Reba Graham

(Jan. 22, 2013)

Deloris Reba Graham of Sweetwater, died Tuesday, Jan. 22, at Wood Presbyterian Home.

 Deloris was born June 9, 1936, and was raised in the Violet Community near Murphy, N.C. She graduated from Tellico Plains High School.  While living in Tennessee, she became a great sports fan of all Tennessee teams. She was a long-time active member of First Baptist Church in Sweetwater.  She cherished her many friends in the community and in her church family. She was especially close to and depended upon her special friends Eulagray and Grant Hickey of Sweetwater. Deloris had a special relationship with her many brothers and sisters. She took great pleasure in being the very first to call with "Happy birthday" greetings early in the morning on that special day of each of her siblings.

 She was a daughter of the late Rev. Willard D. and Edna Garrett Graham.

She was 76.

Preceded in death by: a young sister, Naomi Jean Graham; and three nephews and a great-niece.



Survivors include: five sisters-Dorothy Graham Roby and husband, Mac of Scottsdale, Ariz.; Lucille Graham Rush and husband, Terry of Mableton, Ga.; Helen Graham Murphy and husband, Olen of the Hiwassee Dam Community near Murphy, N.C.; Ruth Graham Kent and husband, Donald of Cary, N.C.; and Patricia Graham Forrister and husband, Larry of Raleigh, N.C.;

Four brothers-Ernest Graham of Aiken, S.C.; Max G. Graham and wife, Judy of Villa Rica, Ga.; Willard Graham Jr. and wife, Alice of the Sunny Point Community near Murphy, N.C.; and J.C. Graham and wife, Dorothy of Murphy, N.C.;

Twenty-four nieces and nephews;

Thirty-five great-nieces and great-nephews; and

Two great-great-nephews.



Funeral services were held at 2 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 26, in Violet Baptist Church, in Violet, N.C. with the Rev. Jim Murphy, Deloris' nephew, and the Rev. Calvin Murphy officiating. Interment was in the church cemetery.

 Ivie Funeral Home, Murphy, N.C. was in charge of all arrangements. Kyker Funeral Home in charge of local arrangements.