Funeral program for Mrs. Bernice Graves Macon

^eltommg iloine ^erbtteiS
MRS. BERNICE GRAVES MACON
DECEMBER 8, 1914 - JANUARY 18, 2005
Saturday, January 22, 2005
12:00 P.M.
St. John Missionary Baptist Church
Claxton, Georgia
Rev. L. Perry McNeal - Presiding
Rev. Stanford Anderson I - Pastor
Interment:
Historic Mt. Pleasant Church Cemetery
Obituary
The early light of dawn on Tuesday, January 18,
2005, streamed into Memorial Health Hospital and
gently passed Bernice Graves Macon into the loving
arms of our Lord and Savior for a well-earned eternal
rest.
Bernice was born on December 8, 1914 in Haw-
kinsville, Georgia to the late John Greenleaf Graves I
and Rosalie Cole Graves. She acquired her early edu-
cation in the public schools of Savannah and attended
Georgia State College where she met her future hus-
band, Raleigh Macon of Claxton, Georgia. They were
joined in holy matrimony on October 4,1933; one
daughter, Marcia, was born of this union.
She received a Bachelor of Science in Education
from Georgia State College (now Savannah State Uni-
versity) and a Master of Science in Education and Su-
pervisory Administration from Atlanta University. She
was a lifetime member of the Savannah State University
National Alumni Association and along with her husband
Raleigh, has received Century Associates Certification
for contributions to the Alumni Scholarship Fund.
Her distinguished career in education began as
an elementary school teacher in southwestern Georgia
in 1937 after two years of college. She returned to col-
lege and received her B.S. in 1942. She became the
principal of and a teacher in Evans County Training
School (later Evans County High School) in 1944; she
returned to the classroom solely as a teacher of English,
Civics, and Georgia History in 1946. She was Jeannes
Supervisor for Evans, Bryan, and Effingham counties
during the fifties and early sixties. Until her retirement in
1976, she was an English teacher in the Evans County
Public School System. She was a lifetime supporter of
the Evans County High National Alumni Association and
received many awards from the organization, such as
the Distinguished Role Model Award (1992). She con-
tinued her activities in education after her retirement.
She was a member and past president of the Georgia
Association of Retired Educators and was involved in
the Tutorial and Curricular Programs in Evans County.
Bernice was a stalwart member and deaconess
of the St. John Missionary Baptist Church, which she
lovingly joined when she came to Claxton after her mar-
riage. She was a faithful worker and supporter in the
activities of the church such as vacation bible school,
building fund programs, etc.
She was active in many civic organizations and
received many civic service awards. She served on the
boards of the Evans Memorial Hospital Authority, and
the Evans County Housing Authority for many years.
She was a founding member of the Unity Study Group
of Claxton. She loved flowers and was the founder of
the Rosebud Garden Club; she was also a longtime
member and past president of the Georgia Association
of Garden Clubs. She was a member of lota Phi
Lambda Sorority and a past president of Nu Chapter in
Savannah. She received numerous awards from the or-
ganization, including Outstanding Soror of the
Year (1977) and the Lola M. Parker Award - Southern
Region (1993).
She leaves to cherish her loving memories: a
daughter. Dr. Marcia M. Moody of Columbia, Maryland;
a granddaughter, Ms. Deryl Y. Lee, Reston, Virginia; two
nieces, Mrs. Mildred J. Rock, Claxton, Georgia and Mrs.
Rose Botts, Frederick, Maryland; three nephews, Mr.
Robert Henley II, Louisville, Georgia, Mr. John G.
Graves, III, Atlanta, Georgia, and Mr. Benjamin J.
Graves, Atlanta, Georgia; many cousins, great-nieces
and nephews, great-great nieces and nephews, and a
host of other relatives and friends as well as her four be-
loved cats.

Order of Services
Processional..........................Uncloudy Day
Invocation.....................Rev. Clarence Williams
Hymn 230...........................Lead Me, Savior
Scripture
Old Testament...............Rev. Martin Bacon
New Testament....Evangelist Mary Alice Williams
Solo.....................His Eye Is On The Sparrow
Ms. Yvonne Hodges
Tributes (Two Minutes, Please)
Unity of Claxton.................Dr. L.H. Morgan
Rosebud Garden Club.......Mrs. Louise Wilkerson
lota Phi Lambda Sorority......Dr. Priscilla Thomas
Georgia Retired Educators.....Mrs. Zimma Jones
St. John Baptist Church...Mrs. Dorothy Anderson
Obituary (Read Silently).... Softly Now the Light of Day
Eulogy..........................Rev. Stanford Anderson
Benediction.....................Rev. L. Perry McNeal
Recessional...........................O Happy Day
Interment

I am with thee always
Are the words He spoke to me
When I went to Him in prayer
Upon a bended knee.
He banished all my troubles
With His abiding love,
And I received His blessings
From Heaven up above.
So never fear your problems
Are more than you can bear,
For God is always with you.
Dolores Karides
ACTIVE PALLBEARERS
Mr. John G. Graves III Mr. Eugene Wilkerson
Mr. Benjamin J. Graves Mr. Charles Oglesby
Mr. Ronald Bailey Mr. Greg Stewart
Mr. Harold Jones
HONORARY PALLBEARERS
Deacon and Trustee Boards of
St. John Missionary Baptist Church
FLOWER ATTENDANTS
Friends of the Family
MUSIC
Mr. Alton West,
Metter, Georgia
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We gratefully acknowledge with sincere and deep
appreciation all acts of kindness shown to us during the
illness and death of our beloved one.
THE FAMILY
Professional Services Entrusted To:
Harpers Funeral Home
Claxton, Georgia
912-739-2658
Juanita B. Hodges
Owner
Yvonne Hodges
Manager
Percy Hodges Ylonne Hodges Jerry Gibson Alvin Hall
Mortician Mortician Mortician Mortician