Vera K. Graham

Vera K. Graham Florence, SC Vera Koerper Graham passed away on December 17, 2011 at the Presbyterian Home in Florence, SC.The granddaughter of German immigrants, Vera was born in Sheldon, Iowa December 28, 1906.She graduated from Sheldon High School in 1925 and attended Grinnell College for a year before transferring to the University of Minnesota.She completed her undergraduate degree in botany and met graduate student Thomas Graham whom she later married.Before Tommy received his Ph.D. in plant pathology, he and Vera moved to Morristown, NJ where he worked for the US Dept. of Agriculture.In 1940 Tommy transferred to Florence where he worked on tobacco diseases and where he and Vera lived out their lives. Vera was a substitute teacher for eleven years in the public schools.She said later, “I taught everything but boys’ gym.”In the early 1950s when her two children started school, Vera volunteered for an amazing variety of social, religious and educational organizations, a career that spanned over 50 years.At the First Presbyterian Church she taught Sunday School, sang in the choir and served as church librarian.In 1996 the church dedicated its library to Vera. Nothing was closer to Vera’s heart than public schools.In 1949 Vera became active in the PTA and the APT (Association of Parents and Teachers).She was a member of the South Carolina PTA Board of Managers for 20 years.In 1990 the Florence Morning News noted that Vera had organized or helped organize every parent teacher organization in Florence School District One as well as many other parent teacher organizations around the state.She served on the Board of Trustees for Florence School District One from 1954 until 1978.For 11 years Vera was Secretary and then President (1974-75) of the South Carolina School Board Association.She also established scholarships for academically promising Florence District One students who prepare to teach in South Carolina public schools.In 1995 Florence District One Schools named the Media Center at Henry L. Sneed Middle School in Vera’s honor. Vera’s voluntarism embraced the Girl Scouts of America.Assuming leadership of Troop 2 in 1955, Vera helped organize the Pee Dee Area Girl Scout Council and served as its first president. Vera and Tommy were brought together as students in Minneapolis by their love of the outdoors and of God’s natural creation.They maintained this love throughout their lives together.They devoted themselves to landscaping and gardening their property at 910 Mohawk Drive.For more than 50 years, they developed and maintained what can only be described as a private four-acre park. In 1999 Tommy predeceased Vera who is survived by her children Penelope Reed (Aubrey Dale) and Stephen Anthony Graham (Marcia) and grandchild Kevin Reed (Laura). A memorial service will be announced at a later date. Stoudenmire-Dowling Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. Memorials may be made to World Vision, 9716 Federal Way,WA 98603-9716. Please sign the online guest registry for Mrs. Graham in the obit section of www.stoudenmiredowling.com .