Obituary of Ann W. Graham

Ann Warner Graham, 100, died January 13, 2015 at Glenbridge Health and Rehabilitation Center in Boone, N.C., where she had been a resident for three years. A service will be held at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Whiteville, N.C. on Saturday January 24, 2015. The family will greet friends at 1 p.m. in the church sanctuary and the service will be conducted at 2 p.m. by the Reverend Kerry Peeler. Burial will follow at the Whiteville Memorial Cemetery. A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, Janaury 31, 2015 at First Presbyterian Churhc in Boone, NC. The family will greet friends at 10 am. and he service will follow at 11 a.m. A light lunch will be served at the conclusion of the service for friends and family in the church gathering space. Ann was born to John Prince Warner Sr. and Catherine Jackson Warner on February 5, 1914, in Scotland County, N.C. In 1924, the family moved from Bladen County to Whiteville in Columbus County. In 1932 she graduated from Whiteville High School. She married Russell Graham of Lake Waccamaw in 1933. They lived and worked in that community until 1960 when they moved to Whiteville. Their only daughter, Peggy, was born in 1934 and grew up at the lake. Ann held jobs at the U.S. Post Office and at the Council Tool Company store at Wananish. Upon moving to Whiteville she worked in the record room at Columbus County Hospital. She also worked in the optometry lab of Dr. Robert Sweeley and as receptionist to optometrist Dr. Sam Whitehead, succeeding her mother who retired at the age of 91. Ann retired in 1999 at the age of 85. She was one of the first volunteers at the main hospital campus of the Columbus Regional Healthcare System, working as a receptionist. Ann was a long-time member of Lake Waccamaw United Methodist Church and was active in the Lake Waccamaw Womans Club. After moving to Whiteville, she was active in Westminster Presbyterian Church, her home church since she was 11 years old. She was active in womens work and honored with Life Membership in Presbyterian Women. Along with her mother and sister, she enjoyed visiting with friends and frequenting Eds Grill and the fountain at Columbus Drug Store. She celebrated her 100th birthday in February 2014 at a gathering in Boone attended by more than 100 family and friends. She was named Centenarian of the Year in Watauga County by the Adult Services Coalition in May of 2014. Ann was preceded in death by her husband Russell in 1982, brother J.P. Warner Jr., sister Catherine Warner and son-in-law Ray Buckner. Her memory will be cherished by her daughter, Peggy Graham Buckner of Boone and Lincolnton, grandsons Ty Buckner of Greensboro, N.C., John Buckner (Jeannie) of Davidson, N.C., Will Buckner (Patty) of Vilas, N.C., and six great grandchildren. The family would like to express their gratitude to the staff of Glenbridge Health and Rehabilitation Center, who took such loving care of Ann. Thanks go as well to The Caregivers Ministry of First Presbyterian Church in Boone for their love and support. Memorials may be made to Westminster Presbyterian Church in Whiteville or the charity of ones choice. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com Austin & Barnes of Boone is serving the Graham family.