Jerry Carlisle Graham was born to Grady Graham and Edna Mae Foxworth Graham on November 23, 1951 in Loris, South Carolina. He was raised in the Bayboro area and was the fifth of six children. He matriculated through Horry County grade schools attending Finkley High until switching to Green Sea High School when the schools desegregated. He received his High School diploma from Green Sea High in 1971. Sharing the graduation walk with his mother who completed her GED the same year. 1971 also brought him the joy of fatherhood with the birth of his first daughter, Kimberly Graham.
In '71 he set off for college at South Carolina State. There, Jerry worked to receive a Fine Arts degree and completed ROTC Officers training. He also met his future wife, Miriam Keels. Upon graduation in 1975, he married Miriam and the young couple moved backed to Bayboro while Jerry pursued a career as a military officer. They welcomed his second daughter, Jerushia, in 1978 and the third, Octavia, the following year. In 1996, Sterling, a long awaited son arrived.
During his 20 years of service as a signal officer in the U.S. Army, he held posts at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina; Ft. Gordon, Georgia; Camp Stanley, Korea; Ft. Riley, Kansas; Patch Barracks, Germany; Ft. Bragg, North Carolina; Camp Long, Korea; and Ft. McPherson, Georgia. Jerry served in the conflict of Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
Upon retiring Jerry provided for his family working at Circle K, Airtran, and Sprint while also earning a Master's Degree in Business Administration from Central Michigan. In 2007, he became the proud owner of Final Touch Frame Shop which he operated until his death.
Jerry placed service as a central tenant to his life. He served as a faithful member to his home church, New Hope A.M.E., was a member of the Masons of Prince Hall Lodge #355, and served at Andrews Chapel United Methodist Church as chair to family ministry for several years. He actively volunteered with Cub Scout Pack 964 and served as a leader for Boy Scout Troop 136. In addition to his church and troop service, he was also on committees for the local chapters of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Omega Psi Phi Faternity, Inc.
He was an affectionate man that cherished family and was passionate about the Democracy he fought to protect as a soldier. At the time of his death, he was serving on the Foxworth-Legette Family Reunion Board, actively mentoring his nephews through a series of letters, and encouraging everyone he encountered to exercise their right to vote.
He pulled through four bouts with three different cancers before succumbing to complications related to his Diabetes. Jerry departed this life on Sunday, September 20, 2020 to join his father, Grady Graham; his mother, Edna Mae Graham; his brother, Albert Graham; and his sister, Joyce Evelyn Graham Jones. We will cherish his memory.