Fred Lee Graham Jr.

Fred Lee Graham, Jr. was born on September 24, 1965 to the union of Fred Lee Graham, Sr. and Dorothy Mae Graham in Cincinnati, Ohio.  On Saturday, November 26, 2022, God in his infinite wisdom called his child home.

Fred was the youngest of three children.  He was affectionately known as Freddie and Butch to family and friends.  He was lovingly known as Pop-Pop to his grandchildren.  He spent his early childhood years in the neighborhood of North Avondale (A1).  During his younger years he played Little League Football with the Little Red Machine Football Organization in Cincinnati, Ohio.  He also played football and ran track in Junior High and High School.  He attended North Avondale Elementary School, Crest Hills Junior High School and graduated from Woodward High School in the Spring of 1984; he was proud to be a Woodward Bulldog.  He also attended Strayer University receiving a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration Management.

He kept in touch with many of his grade school and high school classmates as well as the many friends he made throughout his adult life. He was known to make an impromptu video call to check in and have an in-depth conversation about life.  A lifelong jokester, Fred thoroughly enjoyed involving his loved ones in on his silly pranks.  He had an eclectic taste in music and loved sports.  He was a big fan of Ohio State, Florida State, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Las Vegas Raiders and of course the Cincinnati Bengals.  It was no secret, if the Bengals were having a losing streak, he would root harder for the Raiders. Fred loved history, specifically black history, never missing an opportunity to educate or share a fact with anyone.  He also enjoyed taking long rides on his Harley Davidson, going on car rides, exploring the outdoors, even taking is granddaughter Makayla, on a princess carriage ride through the city.  Fred’s fun-loving nature also included scaring his grandchildren with tales of the Monkey-Man.

Fred had a true zest for life and loved to travel and experience new things.  This year he traveled to Ohio to celebrate the union of Terrell, his only son, in Holy Matrimony. He later took an impromptu road trip down south with his childhood best friend Kevin, they reminisced about their childhood antics along the way.   Fred also, persuaded his Military Buddies into taking a trip to New York City this past March.  This summer he also took his grandson Neil, daughter T’Neisha, and Myron to the Atlanta Aquarium, when they came to visit him in Augusta.  Most recently this past June, he travelled with his wife and siblings and their spouses to the island of Antigua in the Caribbean.  Fred enjoyed himself to the fullest on this trip and enjoyed early morning walks to catch the sunrise, it was a joyful experience, and he was thankful to fellowship with his family on the island, creating such precious memories.  He was a family man and cherished the moments he spent with them.

Fred enlisted in the United States Army in 1987.  He proudly and faithfully served for twenty dedicated years.  Fred was stationed in Kansas, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, Hawaii, Kuwait, and Korea.  He was a Combat Veteran in Desert Storm.  He rose through the ranks from Private to First Sergeant.  His primary specialty was Telecom Operations Chief.   He served as Walter Reed Hospital’s Senior Non-Commissioned Officer for the Wounded Warrior Battalion, where he met the future president of the United States, Barack Obama.  Throughout his military career he received the Army Commendation Medal (5^th Award), Army Achievement Medal (6^th Award), Army Superior Unit AWD/Army Good Conduct Medal (6^th Award), National Defense Service Medal (2^nd Award) Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (3^rd Award), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (3^rd Award), Airborne Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Driver and Mechanic Badge, Drill Sergeant Badge, and the coveted Sergeant Audie Murphy Award.

Fred met Tressa Beauford in Augusta, Georgia, where they were wed in Holy Matrimony and began their nineteen-year journey together.  Fred was blessed with one child from this union and three children from a previous union.  Fred and Tressa resided in Hagerstown, Maryland until the family relocated to Augusta, Georgia.  Fred accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and was strong in his faith.   He worshipped with his family at Gospel Water Branch Baptist Church in Augusta, Georgia.

Upon retiring from the Military, Fred spent a few years working as a contractor in Iraq installing telecommunication equipment.  Most recently he was employed with the Transportation Security Administration as a TSA Agent in Atlanta and Augusta, Georgia and Cincinnati, Ohio.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Dorothy Mae Graham; grandmothers, Helen Hope Lewis, Bessie Lee Page; grandfathers, Richard Eugene Lewis, Oran Graham; nephew, Anthony Rashaun Friason; step-mother, Joyce Ann Graham.

He leaves to cherish his memory his loving and devoted wife, Tressa Cheri Beauford-Graham; daughter, Tiana LaShaye Graham; daughter, T’Neisha Lynn Graham; son, Terrell Lee Graham (LeAnn); daughter, Nyiah Cheri Graham; step-son, Davon Middleton; granddaughter, Makayla Lynn  Graham; grandson, Neil Johnson; father, Fred Lee Graham, Sr.; brother, Timothy Odelle Young (Terevenia); sister, Benita Lynn Graham-Gibson (Terry); sister, Kimberly Adrienne Graham-Francis (Evring); sister, Rolonda Smith (Michael); mother-in-law, Robin Stancil (Larry); sisters-in-law, Donna Jones, Jewel Beauford, Robyn Beauford, Latrice Cowart; brother-in-law, Quentin Beauford;  mother of his children, Rosalind Denise Ralls-Graham; best friend Kevin Porter (Monica); friend Marcus Wright (Pamela); His Augusta Georgia Family by Choice: Tony Barnes (Tonya); Lionusetus Watson (Rosalind); Ernest Walker (Deborah);  and a host of nieces,        nephews, relatives and friends.

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