Grachan Moncur, IV

Obituary For Grachan Moncur, IV

VIEWING DAY AND TIME Monday, February 27, 2023 at 10 am

FUNERAL DAY AND TIME Monday, February 27, 2023 at 11 am

LOCATION Higher Praise Family Worship Center 154 Clifford Street Newark, NJ

Grachan Moncur IV was born on May 2, 1971, at Beth Israel Hospital in NYC to his parents, Grachan Moncur III and Tamam Tracy Moncur. He lived in Harlem with them until the age of two, before the family relocated to Newark, NJ his father’s hometown. Eventually, Grachan moved back to Harlem to live with his grandmother Ndada Vera Berneece Sims, a Community Activist in Harlem, along with two of his younger siblings while his mother attended college. His grandmother was a very important influence in his life and because of her, Kwanzaa celebrations were an important part of Grachan’s upbringing. Grachan learned to play the conga drums during many Kwanzaa celebrations. He was blessed to continue studying the drums under Brother Nini, a renowned drummer in Harlem. Grachan had the great fortune to play drums with his dad on several occasions as well as with him at the Newark Community School of the Arts. At a young age Grachan moved back to Newark, NJ. He continued his elementary education at Morton Street School before attending United Academy, and then Chad School. Grachan was blessed to receive a scholarship to attend Oakwood Friends School, a secondary boarding school in Poughkeepsie, NY. While in high-school, Grachan excelled in sports, earning spots on the varsity team in three sports, soccer, basketball, and baseball in just his freshman year. Grachan left Oakwood and attended Central High School where he graduated. He later went on to receive an Associate Degree in Divinity. He recently started a program to receive a counseling degree while working for Integrity House. He attended the Church of God and Saints of Christ located in Newark as a child and was baptized at age 12. He then became a member of the Central Ave. Tabernacle also located in Newark, joined the choir, and was awarded a certificate for nine years of service to the church by the Pastor, the now Evg. at Large Isaac W. Artis Jr. Grachan’s first job was at Kentucky Fried Chicken, and he was promoted to manager. He then worked for United States Parcel Service (UPS), where he was also promoted to manager. He later worked as a Warehouse manager for Atlas Desk. Grachan went on to become part owner of several halfway houses in FL. Based on his own experience and passion about prison reentry programs he went on to receive his CDL license and encouraged and helped others coming out of prison to get their CDL. After driving trucks for a while, he founded his own trucking company, GMIV Logistics LLC. He volunteered at the House of Love Soup Kitchen/Pantry. His commitment to service never wavered, even taking on the task of taking donated goods to Florida (twice) in collaboration with the Church of God and Saints of Christ and the East Orange School system to be shipped to the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian caused massive destruction to the island. This was an important project to Grachan because of his family roots in the Bahamas. He also gifted his wife, Khalilalh, 4K Global Logistics, a second trucking company. Grachan and Khalilah were joined in Holy Matrimony on January 12, 2018. Grachan was an excellent provider and protector, he always made Khalilah feel safe. Just as Khalilah supported Grachan, he also supported her. When Khalilah was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, he stepped away from his business to become her care giver. Khalilah was very supportive of Grachan’s trucking businesses, but she also encouraged his dream to remix some of his father’s classic jazz tunes into lively club/house/R &B music. Ultimately, Grachan wanted to continue his father’s musical legacy. He started several projects with the aim “to introduce Hip-Hop to the Avant Garde Jazz Revolution.” Grachan completed one project Hipnosis and was in the studio on the last day of his life working with his mother on his next project, “Love and Hate”. That same evening, Grachan and Khalilah spent the evening having dinner celebrating a beautiful Valentine’s Day. He is survived by his loving and devoted wife Khalilah Moncur, his daughter Haniyyah Ragland, his mother Tamam Tracy Moncur, his mother-in-law Janet Ragland aka Big Mama (Vibert Beaton), his sisters Ella-Maisha Moncur, Vera-Cherie Moncur, his sister-in-law Tina Ragland, his brothers Kenya Moncur (Taniesha), Adrien Moncur, his brother-in-laws Hafiz Ragland, Majid Ragland, his nephews Bruce (Troy) Moncur, Donald Moncur, Kenya Moncur II, Charles Williams IV, his nieces Tanaya Moncur, Cherie Moncur, Kai Moncur, Ella-Grace Williams, Shakira Ragland, and a host of other nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Grachan IV was predeceased by his father Grachan Moncur III, his son Grachan Moncur V, his sister Hilda Moncur, his brother Toih Moncur, and his niece Kelly Moncur.