Ernest Graham

WINDER – Ernest Greene Graham Jr., 80, died Monday, October 4, 2010.

A lifetime resident of Winder, he was the son of the late Ernest Greene Graham Sr. and Lois B. McElroy Graham. He was a 1947 graduate of Winder High School, where he played football, basketball, ran track winning twice as the state runner-up (440 yards) and was a 1951 graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Mr. Graham served in the United States Air Force (Korean War era) as a 1st Lieutenant. He was the retired owner/operator of Graham Cleaners for more than 50 years and filmed football games for the Winder-Barrow High School for 10 years. He was a former member of the Winder City Board of Education, was a charter member of the Winder Noon Lions Club, in 1996, and was the recipient of the 2009 Winder Rotary Club Rotarian Vocational of Excellence award. He was a lifelong member of the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Winder where he was a former Sunday school teacher, deacon, elder and board chair/member of the building committee for the present building. Mr. Graham was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara Tanner Graham.

Survivors include son and daughter-in-law, Ernest (Ernie) Greene Graham III and Peggy Graham; daughters and sons-in-law, Lynn Graham and David Hammond and Gayle Graham and Mark Acuff; grandchildren, Stephen Graham and wife, Kristin; Ann Marie Johnson and husband, Nick; and Betsy Robinson.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, October 7, at the Winder First Christian Church with the Rev. Jim Brooks officiating. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 5 to 8 p.m., Wednesday and from 10 to 11 a.m. on Thursday in the church parlor prior to the service.

Memorials may be made to First Christian Church of Winder, 275 N. Fifth Ave., Winder GA 30680.

Smith Funeral Home, Winder, is in charge of arrangements.