Helen Marie Graham

Helen Marie Ward Graham was born January 1, 1944, in Howell Arkansas to Albert Ward and Excell Caruthers Ward.  She departed this life October 23, 2020. Helen accepted Jesus Christ Our Lord at an early age.  Helen was raised in Cotton Plant Arkansas.  As a teenager they moved to Kansas City Missouri.  She graduated from Manuel High School in May 1961. She united in marriage to Chester Graham Jr.  They were married for 44 years until his passing in 2008.

Helen worked for Wayne Minor Health Center for more than 20 years.  After retiring, Helen continued her career for Home Health Plus until her own health began to fail. Helen loved to cook those delicious Holiday meals, she was known for her sweet potato pies and those scrumptious caramel cakes, her signature dishes.  If you lived anywhere near 24th and Cypress, you belonged to her, you were her child, she fed us all.  All the children knew her as Aunt Helen. She enjoyed her Friday nights, card playing with friends, listening to B.B. King and Z.Z. Hill just to name a few of her favorite Blues singers, as well as going to the casino, but she would never tell us if she won or lost.

Those that preceded her in death were two sisters, Ella Mae Redden and Ruthann Jones, two brothers, Willie Riley and Albert Riley, one grandson DeAngelo Graham, one brother in law, Henry Graham, two sister in laws, Bessie Harris and Virginia Graham and one son in law Andrew Nunley, Sr.

She leaves to cherish her memories, five daughters, Sharyn Ward Nunley {William Burton}, KCMO, Carlene Knowlin {Leroy} Texas, Darlene Keeling {Bruce} New York, Tessie Graham, KCMO, Karen Rollins {Lance}KCMO, two sons, Chester Ward Jr. {Mia} KCMO, Galvin Graham, KCMO, five sisters,  Joice Ward, Olathe KS, JoAnn Reliford, Oklahoma, Virginia Wright {Luther} KCMO, Loretta Jackson {Jack} KCKS, Delores Anderson {Richard} Tennessee,  two sister in laws, Peggy Graham KCKS, JoAnn Riley KCMO,  the grandchildren she raised as her own, Anthony L Ward {Patricia} and Tamara R. Miller {Al Irving}KCMO, there are 18 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, 2 great-great grandchildren those she loved as her own, Kathy Sanders, Timothy Harris, Stephanie Daniels and Nina Robins, along with and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and other relatives and friends. 

Services will be held Wednesday, November 4, 2020, 11 am at Watkins Heritage Chapel 4000 Emanuel Cleaver Blvd KCMO 64130. Visitation 9 am. Interment in Leavenworth National Cemetery, Leavenworth, Kansas.

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