John Henry Graddick

John was born December 22, 1928, in Stevenson, AL to Thomas Houston Cox and Audrie Ledford Cox. Upon the untimely death of his mother, John was adopted at the age of two by Henry and Estelle Stringfellow Graddick of Birmingham, AL. John grew up in Dothan, AL where he graduated from Dothan High School. He attended Troy State University and Auburn University. In 1950, he married Bernice Evelyn Pacher of Chipley, FL. He served in the United States Navy for four years while stationed in Pensacola, FL. After the Navy, he was an engineer for IBM for 17 years and was a local businessman in Tallahassee until retiring in 2009. He was a member of Faith Baptist Church in Tallahassee, FL and at the time of his passing was attending Immanuel Baptist Church.

Preceding him in death was his first wife, Bernice Evelyn Graddick; infant son, John Michael; and half brother, Arvil Christian of Stockbridge, GA; and his natural and adopted parents.

He remarried in 1972 and is survived by his second wife, Louise Reddick Braren Graddick of Crawfordville, FL; one son, Wayne Henry Graddick (Mary), a daughter, Carla Graddick Pararo (Rick), all of Tallahassee, and Marla Yvonne Graddick of Columbia, SC; granddaughters Natalie Ferrand of Hattiesburg, MS, Caroline Pararo of Tallahassee, Becky Graddick of Tallahassee and great-grandson William Isaac Ferrand of Hattiesburg, MS.

Visitation with the family will be Sunday, September 25, 2011 from 5pm to 7pm at Culley's Meadowwood Funeral Home, 1737 Riggins Rd. Tallahassee, FL.

A celebration of his life will be held Monday, September 26, 2011 at 11:00 am at Immanuel Baptist Church, 2351 Mahan Drive, Tallahassee, FL.

Interment will be at Memory Hill Cemetery, 2731 Ross Clark Circle, Dothan, AL at 3 p.m. CDT/4 p.m. EDT.

Arrangements are under the direction of Culley's MeadowWood Funeral Home in Tallahassee, Florida.