Lady Annie Laura Graves

The Legacy and Life of Lady Annie Laura Graves

After the Lord allowed her to view the Holy City and sharing the beauty of what she had seen with her family, on Saturday, December 28, 2024, in the calm of the afternoon, God sent an angel and called his servant, Lady Annie Laura Williams Graves home.

She was born on August 17, 1940, in Swansboro, Georgia to the late Alex Franklin Williams, Sr. and Essie Jackson Truesdale. She was raised in Ailey, Georgia by her grandparents.  She was the oldest grandchild that became the big sister to her cousins and was affectionately known to them as “Sister.”  She was and will forever be the matriarch of the Williams Family.

Annie met and married the love of her life, Howard. For the many years they were together, she was his “Honey.”  They moved from Trenton, New Jersey to Sedalia, North Carolina with a love story that they kept alive even until death.  To this union, they had four daughters and a son.  She made the Graves household a house of love.  Anyone that entered knew that they were welcome and loved.  Her children were her jewels. The greatest gifts she loved were her grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchild.  She was blessed to have helped raise her two oldest grandchildren as her own.  All her grandchildren were incredibly special to her, and they knew that all her grands, great grands, and great-great grand would forever be her heartbeats.

“The Lady.”  The late Pastor Howard Lee Graves, Sr., pastored for over forty years in ministry where his first lady, Lady Annie Graves, walked faithfully by his side.  After his death, she continued to walk in the ministry that he started, Unity Baptist Fellowship Church, under the leadership of her daughter, Pastor Crystal Motley and humbly became Mother Annie L. Graves.  She was known for so many things to many different people.  She was known for the beautiful crowns that she wore upon her head.  She was known for the delicious meals she shared.  She was known as a “Prayer Warrior”!  She was especially known for her discernment and words of wisdoms.  Most of all, we will remember our loving Mother as a lady that loved and served the Lord.  

Preceded in death by her parents; Alex Williams, Sr and Essie J. Truesdale; the love of her life, Pastor Howard Lee Graves, Sr; her great grandson, Thaddeus Alexander Graves; her mother in love, Mary Liza Smith; two brothers, George Williams (Van Audrey) and Maxie Williams; two sisters, Estelle Scranton (Honeybunch) and Juanita Ross; three aunts, Aunt Monk, Aunt Lillie Bee and Aunt Annie; four brothers in love, John Graves, Albert Graves, Paul Graves and Robert Martin; five sisters in love, Bessie Womack, Lucy Foust, Sue Brown, Josephine Graves and Lillie Mae Bynum.

She leaves to cherish her memory, her daughters, Prophetess Davetta Rena Kernodle (Kevin), Mrs. Lauriel Lee Marks (John), Ms. Miranda Dawn Smith (Timothy Clarke) and Pastor Crystal Motley (Elijah); her sons, Mr. Howard Lee Graves, Jr. (Temeca) and Mr. Kevin Graves (Kimberly); her grandchildren, Andre Graves (Jerrica),Pastor Michael Pritchett (Tenesha),Pastor Christopher Pritchett (Kennedy), Laurann (Dwantze), Anthony Pritchett (Iesha), Kennedy Kernodle, Ayana Wood (Will), Akira Richmond (Landon), Hailey Graves, Temea White, Keon Graves, India Graves, London Tate, Tyiona Downey, Kevin Kernodle, Jr., Donica Truitt and Carrington Epperson; great grandchildren, Teagan, Hampton, Nevea (Luis), Karrington, Paisley, Kannon, Dwantze, Jr., Anthony, Jr., Aubrey, Aiden, Roman, Tristan, Jude and Lennox; great great grand, Tiana; sisters, Celinda McLean,  Henrietta Gaither, Frankie, and Geneva Williams; special sister, Pearlean Glover; brothers, Alex Williams, Jr. (Coot), Stevie Truesdale and Miller Truesdale,  Jr. (Butchie); sisters in love, Elaine Lynn, Sandra Singleton (Rudolph), Jennie Ann Graves and Deborah Martin; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives and friends.

A Celebration of Life for Lady Annie Laura Williams Graves will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 7, 2025 at United Holy Church Headquarters, 5104 Dunstan Road Greensboro, NC 27405. Bishop Greg Hargrave, Pastor, Rev. Joseph Wilson, Eulogist, McLeansville First Baptist Church McLeansville, NC and Pastor Cory Graves, Presider, White Oak Missionary Baptist Church, Greensboro, NC.

Burial to follow in the McLeansville First Baptist Church Cemetery 5920 J. L. Martin Dr. McLeansville, NC 27301.

A viewing will be held on Monday, January 6, 2025 from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at J. L. Dodson and Sons Funeral Establishment- Danville Virginia.
The family is receiving relatives and friends at the residence 3022 North Main St. Danville Virginia and asked to assemble on the day of service at 10:30 a.m.

Masks are required at all visitations and services. / Service may be viewed by Live Stream at
/https://www.jldodsonandsons.com/LiveStream http://www.facebook.com/jldodsonandsons
Professional funeral services have been entrusted to the staff of the J.L. Dodson and Son Funeral Establishment, 447 Old South Main St. Danville, Va., Bishop Jeffrey L. Dodson, Sr.,
Funeral Director., and Rev. Monica W. Martin, Funeral Directress. (434)799-9262.
Online condolences may be registered at www.jldodsonandsons.com. "Our Family Servicing
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