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Verodia Graves, who served as supervisor of women of the Southern California Evangelistic Ecclesiastic Jurisdiction, died on January 7, she was 87.
Graves was an active member of the New Hope Church of God in Christ in the city of Duarte, California where she served for the past sixty-eight years. She served under two pastors. E.W. Harding for 49 years and George B. Salter.
She served as District Missionary of the New Hope District.
In 2003, following the retirement of Supervisor Lucille Howard, Graves was appointed and installed as Supervisor of Women of the Southern California Evangelistic Ecclesiastic Jurisdiction.
She created an inviting atmosphere of warmth and love and served tirelessly for ten years before retiring as Supervisor in 2013. She worked with the late Bishop F.J. Goodman for eight years, and then with Bishop J.W. Macklin during the jurisdictional leadership transition period. Her last years of service were with Bishop C. E. Milton, of Holy Assembly Church of God in Christ in Pasadena.
Graves developed and provided spiritual leadership for the Jurisdiction Department of Women.
Graves was born and raised in Prentiss, Mississippi. After completing her undergraduate education she went back to school to obtain an Associate Degree in Library Science from the University of California Polytech.
She was married to Robert L. Graves, who preceded her in death, for 49 years. The couple had five children, George, Jackie, Roberta, Bradford and Eloise, 12 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
She had a passion for people and her community and believed in service and stewardship. This propelled her to start a community outreach ministry in the city of Duarte/ Monrovia where she fed the homeless from her home until it outgrew her capacity. She moved the program to a larger venue at the local park where she was able to continue to care for her community with her gentle, loving and charitable spirit.
Graves was preceded in death by her mother and father, her husband, and her daughter Jackie Blanchard.
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