Ivory Mae (Glenn) Graham, 97, of Bolton, MA, passed away peacefully in her home on Sunday morning, November 8, 2020.
Mrs. Graham was born in York County, SC, the oldest child of the late Samuel and Bessie (Dulin) Glenn. Although her formal education ended in the fifth grade, she resumed her studies as an adult to obtain her high school equivalency diploma.
She worked tirelessly for over eighty years, caring for others: her children, her relatives, and her communities. Some of her jobs were babysitter, cotton picker, sharecropper, housekeeper, flower arranger, seamstress, community organizer, and food and nutrition educator. Of all the jobs she did, she enjoyed doing the Lord’s work the most. As a missionary, she visited the sick and shut-in, helped those in need, and raised money for charitable causes. She was a past president of the missionary board, a class leader, and a lay council member at Belmont AME Zion Church in Worcester, MA, and served as a missionary at her home church, Green Pond United Methodist Church in Clover, SC.
She was predeceased by her husband of 62 years, Willie Alexander Graham; her six brothers: Samuel, JW, Bill, Robert, John and Perry Glenn, and three sisters: Johnsie Brodhead, Lovenia Meeks, and Queen Tolson.
She loved her children unconditionally, and always put them first. They are Gloria (Sam) Bracey of Worcester, MA, Lemuel (Kaye) Graham of Clover, SC, Lorenia Smith of Puyallup, WA, Louis Graham of Spartanburg, SC, Linda Graham (Tobe Barksdale) of Bolton, MA, Lisa Graham and Lloyd Graham, both of Gastonia, NC. In addition to her children, she is survived by her sister, Mary Patricia Andrews of Worcester, MA, and her sister-in-law, Eloise Glenn of Tacoma, WA; 14 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Ivory would often say, “If you can’t say anything nice about anyone, don’t say anything at all.” She loved everyone, and everyone who knew her, adored her.
Walk thru viewing will be on Friday; November 13, 2020 at the funeral home from 4 until 7 p.m.
Funeral: Saturday; November 14, 2020; 2:00 p.m. at St. John's Missionary Baptist Church-1282 Bradford Heights Road, Gastonia
Interment: Green Pond United Methodist Church, Clover, SC
Masks required at all services; temperatures will be taken at the church; social distancing and attendance will be monitored; funeral will be live on Gregory Funeral Service facebook page
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