Obituary for Jerry S. Graham In His perfect wisdom and timing, the faithful Creator God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ took Jerry Stover Graham, age 89, of Fort Worth, Texas, from his life on earth on November 23, 2018, the day after Thanksgiving. He died in his sleep minutes after his daughter Cathy prayed over him in the hospital. Jerry was born in the community of Navo, Texas, “just a wide spot in the road” as he described it, to parents Bryan and Ruth Graham.
Jerry spent his early years in Denton County where his family farmed. Later, they moved to Lewisville, Texas, where he started to public school. Jerry recalls that as a first grader, he sold his book satchel to a classmate for a dime.
On another occasion when Jerry didn’t report to school, his mother found him hiding behind their chimney. When she quizzed him about his absence, he remarked that he had “already learned everything”. How prophetic that from these two events, Jerry would go on to a long career in education, as a teacher, principal and administrator at school districts throughout Texas.
From stints in Gainesville, Wells, Albany, Argyle, Corpus Christi, Brookshire, Graham, Mansfield, Brownsville, and Kemp, Jerry served as a teacher and principal in many communities. He even taught drivers education. Jerry’s sharp mind was also of service to others through part-time work preparing income taxes.
Jerry’s long career in the classroom was interrupted in the early 1950s when he was drafted into the Army and served in Korea and Japan. After his discharge as a sergeant, he went back to his alma mater, North Texas State Teachers College (now known as the University of North Texas). He received his Master’s degree in 1953, and then returned to teaching.
Later, he married and was blessed with two daughters and two sons. Jerry enjoyed reading Western novels and detective stories, playing 42 (dominoes) and watching television. His most noteworthy hobby was over 43 years of service in the Gideons, a volunteer group that distributes the word of God, the Bible.
Ridglea Baptist Church was his most recent home church that preached the gospel of faith in Jesus Christ alone to him. Jerry was predeceased by his parents Bryan and Ruth Graham, brother Bryan Graham II, brother-in-law Harold Bartlett, and nephew Hal Bartlett. Jerry is survived by his sons John and David Graham; daughters Cheryl Moody and Cathy Graham; sister Glenna Bartlett; niece Glynese Bartlett; sister-in-law Nancy Graham; and nephews Bryan and Ken Graham.
A special thank you to Michael Sparks and staff at Sparks Assisted Living in east Fort Worth. They patiently and kindly provided excellent, highly personalized care in his last five months of life. Gratitude goes also to Jerry’s devoted Gideon brothers, Mr. James Ray and Mr. Edward Knott who visited him weekly for the last five months of his life.
He will be buried at the Veterans National Cemetery in Grand Prairie, Texas, on Friday, November 30, at 9:15am. A memorial service will be held on Friday, November 30 at 12:30pm at Ridglea Baptist Church, 6037 Calmont Ave, Fort Worth, Texas 76116, 817-732-4421. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Gideons.
In closing, here is an excerpt from one of Jerry’s favorite hymns, The Old Rugged Cross: On a hill far away, stood an old rugged Cross The emblem of suff’ring and shame And I love that old Cross where the dearest and best For a world of lost sinners was slain. To send flowers to the family of Jerry S. Graham, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.
If you found any mistakes, or you would like to add/remove to this obituary, please contact us by email: info@obituary.memorial. We never ask money for this.
