Pauline H. Graves

1920 - 2017

HINESVILLE -Mrs. Pauline H. Graves, 96, entered into eternal peace on Tuesday, June 27, 2017, at the Addington Place of Brunswick Assisted Living and Memory Care in Brunswick.
Pauline was born in South Boston, VA, on July 6, 1920, a daughter of the late Silas Simpson Hamlett and Mattie McKenzie Jones Hamlett. She was the seventh of 10 children. She was educated in Halifax, VA, County School System. She attended Fayetteville State University, in Fayetteville, NC, attaining a bachelor's of arts in elementary education. She attended North Carolina Central University, receiving a master's of arts in education. She retired in 1985 from the Rochester, NY, City School System, ending 34 years of educating students in grades 1-3 in North Carolina, Virginia and New York.
Married to the late Rev. Raymond L. Graves for 57 years, she also served the Lord faithfully at New Bethel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in Rochester for 41 years as the first lady, president of the Women's Missionary Society and the Adult Choir. She has received various awards from religious, social and educational organizations.
She was known for her beautiful soprano voice that filled the people with God's message of love.
She moved to Hinesville in 2011 to be near her children. She attended St. Peter's African Methodist Episcopal Church in Midway, where she served as a member of the Holmes-Williams Women's Missionary Society. She said having faith in God and bringing others to him was the greatest thing a person can ever do.
She leaves to cherish her memory two sons, Alexander (Pearl) Trotter of Rochester and Paul L. Trotter of District Heights, MD; daughter, Valeria Graves (Lt. Col. ret. William, USA) Sutton of Hinesville; a special daughter, the Rev. Janice W. King of Atlanta; grandchildren, Chanell Trotter (Ckori) Jones of Clinton, MD, Laurie Trotter, Suitland MD, Capt. (P) Sheron Sutton (Capt. Michael) Collins of Fayetteville, NC, Petty Officer 3rd Class Timothy Sutton of Okinawa, Japan, and Bridgette Cohens of Coral Gables, FL; seven great-grandchildren; two sisters-in- law, Elizabeth Hamlett of Colonial Heights, VA, and Mary Graves of Oxford, NC; and a host of nieces and nephews, church family and friends.
Her funeral services will be at 11 a.m. July 8 at New Bethel CME Church, 270 Scio St. in Rochester. Latimer and Son Funeral Home, 983 S. Plymouth Ave., Rochester, NY, 14608, has charge of arrangements there.
In lieu of flowers here, please send donations to St. Peter's AME Church, Holmes-Williams Women's Missionary Society, P.O. Box 267, Midway, GA 31320
Dorchester Funeral Home of Midway is handling the arrangements.