Barney Mansfield Graham

Cary, North Carolina – Barney Jean Mansfield Graham passed away peacefully on June 30, 2025, in Cary, North Carolina, at 90 years of age. Born November 24, 1934, in Sanford, North Carolina, Barney was the first child of tobacco farmers Jake and Arlie Mansfield. She was known for her radiant beauty, intelligence, love of nature/literature/history, and a deep devotion to her family and community.

Barney married Malcolm (Mac) Cameron Graham on June 16th, 1953, and recently celebrated their 72nd Wedding Anniversary. They have two wonderful children, James and Kathryn.

Barney attended Peace College and graduated from North Carolina State University in 1986 alongside her son, James. She has a double major in English and Education and a Master’s Degree in English. Her focus was on Chaucer’s works.

Barney and Mac were charter members of Greenwood Forest Baptist Church in 1963, and she and Gladys Wells worked for many years on the official history of the church. Their book, eventually spanning 200 pages, is a permanent addition to the church’s library.

Barney had a keen eye for home design, a love of art, antiques, trinkets, and a lifelong appreciation for outdoor spaces. One of her greatest joys was designing and maintaining her 60’ x 150’ adjacent lot, which includes a garden, hundreds of hostas and plants of all shapes and sizes - the envy of the neighborhood.

Throughout her life, Barney spent summers at North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, a tradition that her husband and two children looked forward to every year. She delighted in family stories and spent time researching and documenting the Spivey family history on her mother’s side.

Barney was preceded in death by her parents, Jake and Arlie Mansfield. She is survived by her husband, Malcolm Cameron Graham, her daughter, Kathryn Graham Starr (Kevin) of Austin, TX, and her son, James Malcolm Graham (Megan) of Brooklyn, NY. She has canine and feline grandchildren, Leo, Pippin, Charlie and Miles and her honorary daughter, Zoey. She is also survived by her brother, Larry Mansfield and her niece and nephew Hope Argabright and Tony Mansfield.

A memorial service will be held at 3:00 pm on July 20th at Greenwood Forest Baptist Church in Cary, North Carolina.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Greenwood Forest Baptist Church’s Capitol Improvement Fund in memory of Barney.

"Wayfarer, the only way

Is your footprints and no other.

Wayfarer, there is no way.

Make your way by going farther.

By going farther, make your way

Till looking back at where you’ve wandered,

You look back on that path you may

Not set foot on from now onward.

Wayfarer, there is no way;

Only wake-trails on the waters."

-Antonio Machado