Obituary for John "Jack" Graham
The Reverend John (Jack) Louis Graham, 86, passed into the loving arms of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Wednesday, July 27, 2021, after a long illness. He held a firm belief in his Heavenly Father and the promise of Salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ, and this supported him through his life and during his illness to the end. Jack was born in Pahokee, Florida in 1935. He grew up in Englewood and Venice Florida. Growing up his name was Red, do to his red hair. Over the years gave us many stories about growing up as a child, in the Florida of old. The freedom of exploring and running around bare footed. The fond memories and admiration he held for his mother, and his aunt and uncle who helped raise him. Jack held many jobs during his life, mailman, janitor, but the ones that meant the most to him were his career in the Navy and being a Pastor in the Presbyterian Church of America. He was stationed in the Philippines during his military service, and you can imagine the stories he so proudly got to tell about his time in the Navy. Once his mother asked him what had he done, because there were FBI agents that came to the house asking all kinds of questions about Jack. It wasn’t because he did anything wrong, but Jack was being promoted and needed to have top level clearance. But most of all he loved being a pastor. He had a love and devotion for his loving Savior that shown through his smile, and anyone that heard him preach, could feel it in their bones. You could see and feel the love he had in serving his church family. He pastored churches in North Carolina, Texas, and in Florida he pastored in North Port, Brandon, and Winter Haven. He retired from the ministry in 1999, with dreams of tending his vegetable garden, but he just couldn’t sit still for long. He started being an interim pastor and a pulpit supply pastor over the next 6-7 years. After that he thoroughly enjoyed the days they watched McKenna during the days, and he kept himself busy teaching his granddaughter, McKenna, many life lessons and playing hide and go seek and how to throw by pitching bad oranges into the creek behind his house. He was deeply devoted to his wife, Barbara, and his family, Stephen “Steve” Graham, (Jenny), Stanley “Stan” Graham (Melanie), Sean Graham (Amy), LeighAnn Mays (Kirk), Jerry Johnson (Traci). His grandchildren Scott, Shayla, Sherice, McKenna, Tyler, Karis, Jacob, Ben, and Jade and numerous great grandchildren. Jack was preceded in death by his first wife Jacqueline “Jackie”, his mother Grace, and his Uncle Stanley and Aunt Ruth. Jack will have a memorial service on Saturday, July 31, 2021 at Westminster Presbyterian Church Brandon at 11:00 am with a reception to follow in the fellowship hall. The Reverend Wesley Holland will officiate the service. Jack will be interred at the Sarasota National Cemetery, Sarasota Florida, at a later date.
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Previous Events
Celebration of Life Service
Saturday
31
Jul
11:00 AM
Westminster Presbyterian Church
402 East Lumsden Road
Brandon, FL 33511
Cemetery Details
Location
Sarasota National Cemetery
9810 State Road 72
Sarasota, FL 34241
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