Mr. Cecil Graves, formerly of Reidsville, North Carolina, transitioned peacefully at the age of 103 surrounded by family at his home in Concord, North Carolina on Tuesday, November 1, 2022.  Funeral services will be held on Sunday, November 13, 2022 at Smyrna Holiness Church of God, 1025 Mizpah Church Road, Reidsville, NC at 2:00 p.m. with family visitation one half hour prior to the service.  Public visitation will be held on Saturday, November 12, 2022  from 12:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at McLaurin Memorial Chapel.  Burial will be held at Garrett's Grove United Methodist Church, 191 High Rock Road in Gibsonville, NC.

Mr. Cecil Graves was a decorated veteran who served in World War II.  He has been married to Hazeline Jeffries Graves, his wife of 69 years.

Cecil was born at home on April 7, 1919 in Rockingham County, NC.  He was the last of eight (8) children born to John Graves and Mariah Thomas Graves.  Although, his mother passed away soon after giving birth to him, his childhood was full of hard work and good memories. Cecil grew up on a large farm in Caswell and Rockingham Counties, in the Williamsburg District.

Cecil left the farm for the first time in 1942 at the age of 23 when he was drafted into the United States Army.  Mr. Graves served in a support battalion overseas in France and Germany.  When asked about the war, he would say "it was a terrible war but, God's Grace brought him out, God's Grace keeps him and God's Grace will take him Home." Cecil met his wife, Hazeline Jeffries a few years after returning from the War.  He had grown up and served in the war with her older brothers.  Cecil married Hazeline in 1953 in South Carolina. He was a faithful member and Deacon of Smyrna Church of the Apostolic Faith for over 58 years.

In addition to his parents, Cecil was predeceased by his siblings:  Myrtle, Annie May, Edie, Pattie, Robert Lee, Bennie, Payton, John Irvin, Howard and Sherman.

Those left to cherish precious memories are his seven children:  Jo Ann Marsh (Alan), Eddie Cecil Graves, Kirk Patrick Graves, Donna Graves, Tyler Christopher Graves (Sandra), Jan Darren Graves and Sylvia 'Heidi' Howie (Jesse); fifteen grandchildren:  Maurice, Daniele, Rameses, Kirk, Aliyah, Lee, David, Jon Michael, Charli, Christin, Tyler, Caelin, Jules, Peyton and Lauren; seventeen great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and a plethora of other relatives and dear friends.

Ashton and Yolanda McLaurin and the staff of McLaurin Funeral Home are serving the family.  Covid-19 precautions will be followed with social distancing, masks and sanitizing required.

At the designated date and time, you may connect to the Virtual services through FaceBook livestreaming via McLaurin Funeral Home's FB page.  To join via YouTube, click here https://youtube.com/channel/UCNxKempY6gbuyks5Pw1rDyw