LASHMEET — Earsil D. Graham, 73, of Mt. Olive Road, Lashmeet, died Friday, October 23, 2009 at Princeton Community Hospital in Princeton. Born April 26, 1936 at Piedmont, he was the son of the late Harold “Boots” Graham and Katherine Marie Davis Graham.

Mr. Graham was a member of Westminster Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Bluefield where he is an ordained elder. He took part in several short term mission trips. He was retired from the 150th Armored Calvary as a Staff Sergeant and served in 1961 during the Cuban Crisis. He was a 1954 graduate of Matoaka High School and retired from the Mercer County Board of Education as an electrician. For the last 10 years, he spent much of his time living in Oklahoma helping care for his grandchildren.

Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Judy Helmandollar Graham of the home; one son, Byron Graham of Tulsa, Okla.; one daughter, Kathy Leonardo and her husband Paul of Reinholds, Pa.; seven grandchildren, Ashley Watson and her husband Cpl. Ryan Watson, Alexandria, Stockton, Alivia, and Adelyn Graham all of Tulsa, Okla., and Kyndra and Dalton Leonardo both of Reinholds, Pa.; and he is survived by many brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law and their families.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Bluefield with the Revs. Howard Finkle and Donald Elliott officiating. Interment will follow at Roselawn Memorial Gardens in Princeton where military honors will be conducted by the WV Honor Guard and the Mercer County Veterans Council. Family and friends will serve as pallbearers.

Memorial contributions may be made to Westminster Presbyterian Missions, P.O. Box 1258, Bluefield, WV 24701.

Friends may call today from 6-8 p.m. at the Bailey-Kirk Funeral Home in Princeton and one hour prior to the service at the church on Tuesday.

To view a video tribute to Mr. Graham, or send the family online condolences, please visit www.bailey-kirk.com.