Lola M. Graham Easley

Lola M. Graham Easley passed away on December 8, 2013 in Midland, Texas. She was born April 29, 1929 to John E. and Gladys G. Smith near Rush Springs, Oklahoma, where she was raised and attended school in a one-room school house. She later attended Oklahoma A&M University, where she met the love of her life, Bill J. Graham, in a ballroom dancing class. She married Bill on November 7, 1950 in Stillwater, Oklahoma and had four children with him. Gwendola (Susie) Graham and Bill D. Graham were born in Oklahoma. The family then moved to Venezuela where Rick E. Graham and Craig A. Graham were born. They moved to Midland in 1959.

Lola encouraged all of her children to participate in music, and all four were members of the Lee High School Band. During her 11 years as an active Band Parent from 1965 to 1976, she never missed a football game, parade, or concert. She continued to support and donate to the band as her grandchildren were also members from 1996 to 2005. She and Bill J. received a lifetime commitment award from the Robert E. Lee Rebel Band Boosters.

After Bill J. Graham passed away in 1983, Lola married G. Pat Easley on May 11, 1985 and moved to San Antonio. While living there, she was an active member of the PEO sorority. After Pat’s death in 2001, she returned to Midland.

Lola enjoyed frequently visiting her house at Lake LBJ, with Bill J. and later with Pat. She loved to travel and visited every continent on Earth. Each of her ten grandchildren accompanied “Momma Lolo” on an international trip after their 15th birthday, taking her from the Galapagos Islands to as far away as Russia.

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Susie, her husband Bill J. Graham, and her husband G. Pat Easley. She is survived by a sister, Ruby Lovelace of Sugarland, Texas, sons Bill D. Graham and his wife Cathie of Midland, Rick E. Graham and his wife Lisa of Midland, and Craig A. Graham and his wife Sharyn of Belvidere, Illinois, along with 10 grandchildren and 6 great-grandsons.

Family visitation will be held at Ellis Funeral Home on Friday, December 13, 2013 from 6:00pm until 8:00pm. Funeral services will be at the Ellis Funeral Home Chapel on Saturday, December 14, 2013 at 10:00am, with burial to follow at Resthaven Cemetery.

The family wishes to thank Dr. Richard Reese for his years of compassionate care and also want to extend special thanks to Roberta and Monica, who became a part of our family over these past years, as well as to Rafaela and Sophia, all of whom helped lovingly care for our mother and grandmother.