Earnest F. Graham

Earnest Floyd Graham was born on September 13, 1938 in Winter Garden, Florida to Earnest Toland Graham and Gertrude Giddens Graham. They migrated to Springhead and then homesteaded to Plant City, Florida where he resided with his brothers John and Daniel and sisters Charlotte and Margaret. Earnest loved fishing and hunting. He was an avid coon hunter in his early days but later on concentrated on fishing. He always planned fishing trips in the spring and fall to Blue Cypress in Vero Beach no matter what was going on. He left high school to help the family and then enlisted with the Navy which he served four years.

While he was working at Florida Tile in Lakeland, he was invited to a revival at New Home Baptist church by a lady he worked with by the name of Ruby Harris. She introduced him to Lola Hofstetter in April 1965 which then became Lola Graham on December 4, 1965. They were married for 56 years at the time of his passing. They raised a son Shane Graham who is married to Chanda Graham and daughter Janice Graham who is currently single. He was trying to marry her off at the time of his passing. He is also survived by his granddaughters Felisha Graham Carpenter (Kyle), Tristan Graham, Destany Haley and Grandsons Dustyn Walker (Sunrise), Stephen Haley; Great-granddaughters Paisleigh Carpenter and Ryleigh Carpenter and great-grandson Raymond Walker.

He loved his children and grandchildren so much. He always made sure his family knew the Lord and always had those conversations with them about knowing Jesus. He always told his family that they needed to be in church. He was always welcoming and made sure everyone know that his door was always open if you needed help. Through the years he gave his time to the church and served as Deacon. He let his mind be made known as an elder but tried not to ruffle too many feathers.

He was a great man who loved life, his family, God and FISHING!! He will be truly missed but we know that he is fishing in Heaven with the grandson he never met J. J. Please keep the family in your prayers during the coming days, months and years.

The funeral service will be live streamed online at Facebook.com/ljbcfl

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.WellsMemorial.com for the Graham family.