Corteland Elliot Graham, Sr.

The Celebration of Life Service for Mr. Graham will be live streamed on the Facebook Page of Fisher Memorial Funeral Parlor.

FACE MASKS ARE REQUIRED!

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Corteland and Barbara Graham Scholarship Fund at Holy Cross Catholic Church

2438 S. Alston Avenue, Durham,  NC  27713

He was born June 6, 1941, in Neenah, Virginia, to the late Joseph R. Graham, Sr. and Dorothy Lee Graham. Corteland was educated in the Westmoreland County public school system, where he attended Templemanen’s Elementary School and A. T. Johnson High School. He graduated from high school in 1958 and attended Virginia State College (now Virginia State University) in Petersburg, Virginia. Additionally, he served as an aircraft mechanic at Tyndall Airforce Base starting in September 1961, and he was honorably discharged from the Airforce in September 1965 as a Senior Airman. 

In April 1963, he happily married Barbara Angela Forney of Fayetteville, North Carolina. While stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base near Panama City, the couple had three daughters, Angela and twins Alicia and Amelia. The family then moved to Greenville, SC, in 1965. In 1967 the couple moved to Durham, NC, where they had a wonderful son, the late Corteland Jr., in 1969. In 1991, the couple was blessed with another daughter, Kiara. They raised their daughters and their son on Driftwood Drive in Durham, North Carolina. He retired in 1998 after 30-plus years at IBM.

Corteland was an enthusiastic member of the Holy Cross Catholic Church, where he was a part of the Men’s Society, the Senior Crusaders, and the Choir. Additionally, for several years he served as the Girl Scout Cookie Manager. He also enjoyed working on cars, working in the church, fishing with friends and family, and spending time with Barbara, his children, and his grandchildren.

Corteland was a kind and loving man who will forever be remembered by those he touched for his devotion to family and friends. He will be deeply missed by all those who knew him.

He was cherished by relatives and friends, including his wife Barbara Forney Graham (deceased), his son Corteland Graham, Jr. (deceased), his daughters Angela Graham Allen and husband Isaac R. Allen (Reggie) of Durham, NC, Alicia M. Graham of Durham, NC, Amelia Graham Long of Durham, NC, and Kerry A. Long of Durham, NC, and Kiara Graham Carrington, and husband Tony Carrington of Durham, NC, sister-in-law Patricia Forney Stewart and husband Garland Stewart of Fayetteville, NC, six grandchildren, Kerry Jr., Sean, Christian, Sierra, Selena, and David Long, his deceased sisters,  Alice Graham Thigpen, Sarah E. Graham, Geneva Graham, and Audrey Graham Evans, and deceased brothers, Joseph Graham, Sr., Sherman Graham, and several nieces, Garlinda Stewart Price, Patrice Stewart Carter, Tyra Rucker (deceased), Bernadette Millings, Vanessa Fisher, and Quinita Olgetree, and nephews, Ronald Graham, and Michael Stewart (deceased) and many more loving friends and family.

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