James Vincent Graham

1922-2015 James Vincent Graham went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, January 10, 2015. Vince was known to his family and friends as a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and uncle. He was born on October 27, 1922 in Gallup, NM to John Andrew Graham and Beatrice Hunt Graham. Vince was the 3rd child of a family of five children. He grew up in Belen, NM where he attended Belen High School. When he turned 18 years old he joined the United States Navy and fought in WWII. After the war he returned to Belen where he met his wife Stella Lockhart. They were married on May 6, 1949. They built a home and raised a family in Belen till their deaths. He held many jobs, including working for the railroad, a septic pumping company, and a gas delivery driver. Vince also owned a business with his brothers Pat and Lonnie, called Graham Brothers Feed. He drove semi-trucks and in the early 1970’s Stella started driving with him, working for such companies as Duke City Lumber Co., Wilson, Thomas, Bursch and the Roadrunner Trucking companies. He received many awards for safe driving being an outstanding truck driver. Vince worked hard every day of his life. If he wasn’t driving a truck you could find him under a hood working on a car. He loved fishing and camping and was an avid reader. It was a family tradition to go to South Fort, Colorado every year with his children and grandchildren to fish. You could always find a fishing pole in his truck. He loved spending that time with his family and making memories. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Beatrice Graham; his loving wife, Stella Graham; and his brothers, Lonnie, Bill, and Pat; grandson Charles Graham; great grandson Jake Graham, Rebecca Lee Ann Beebe, Ty Allen Cecil Beebe. Vince is survived by his children; son, Joe and wife, Ann Graham of Wilson, Oklahoma, daughter, Bonnie Beebe of Belen, NM, daughter, Joann and husband, Angus Brown of Alabaster, Alabama, and son, Mike and wife, Laurie Graham of Belen, NM; many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. He is also survived by his sister, Rosie Jean Lockhart of Bosque Farms, NM. A Graveside Service will be held at Terrace Grove Cemetery in Belen, on Thursday, January 15th, at 3:00 p.m. Sign James Vincent’s online tribute at www.romerofuneralhomenm.com Romero Funeral Home, 609 N. Main Street, Belen, NM, 87002.

James Vincent Graham

October 27, 1922 - January 10, 2015