William Watson Graddy 12/4/1894 – June 1, 1983
William Watson "Bill" Graddy, 88 of Georgetown, died Wednesday (June 1, 1983) at Clay County Hospital in Fort Gaines, GA. He was the father of a Columbus woman and a former Quitman County Coroner.
The funeral will be at 2 p.m. today at Georgetown Baptist Church with burial in the Georgetown Cemetery according to Colquitt (GA) Funeral Home.
Mr. Graddy was born Dec. 4, 1894 in Troy, AL., son of Mr. and Mrs. Morgan Graddy. He was a member and former deacon of Georgetown Baptist Church. He was a retired lumberman and a member of the American Legion. He was a former Quitman County Coroner in the early 1970s', and was a veteran of World War I. He was the husband of the late Lula Graddy.
Survivors include his son, William A. Graddy of Georgetown; three daughters, Mrs. T. L. (Verdie) Surles of Preston, GA., Mrs. Calvin Clements (Doris) of Atlanta and Mrs. Mack Strickland (Yvonne) of Columbus; 12 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Orbit: Columbus Ledger Enquirer
Mr. Bill Graddy was affectionately referred to and Daddy Bill by his grandchildren.
During WWI, he served in France and received some injuries from Mustard Gas. He was a man of many trades. He raised pigs, cows, and did some farming in the area called the bottom, between Georgetown and the river (this area is now under lake Eufaula). He owned, and most of the time rented out, a tract of land in the county called the Tye Place, which he, in his later life, sold to his son-in-law and his wife, (Calvin and Doris Clements). He spent a good portion of his life cruising timber for various timber companies. He gave a corner of their property in Georgetown to his son and his wife, where William and Calvin, with help from a few friends, built a home for William and his family. He was a good friend with a person named Miller who lived near Cuthbert, GA and used part of the lot and barn behind his home to house mules which the two sold to locals. This operation lasted about 2 years. There were many good times in the home as they had a piano in the front room and groups from church and just friends would come, visit and sing as his wife, Lula, played the piano.
At a point in his life he was a somewhat heavy smoker, smoking 3 packs/ day of Camel cigarettes. But when I, Tommy, was about 14 yrs. old, he was out cruising a tract of timber and ran out of cigarettes, realized he was about 20 miles from the nearest store he knew of where he could purchase them, he decided that it was time to quit. He did and Lulu didn't detect this until he mentioned it to her about 2 weeks later. He never smoked again.
Many of the grandchildren spent weeks at a time in their home when we were young. Most of the time when there was a revival, or vacation bible school or some other activity was happening at the church. One of the activities of the grandkids was to search under the sofa and chair cushions for change. I suspect that Daddy Bill seeded these places knowing what we would do. He would spend time with us by taking us fishing, out to the Tye place for various functions and to the old home of one of his sister's Mrs Mattie Reeves and her husband.
William Watson "Bill" Graddy, 88 of Georgetown, died Wednesday (June 1, 1983) at Clay County Hospital in Fort Gaines, GA. He was the father of a Columbus woman and a former Quitman County Coroner.
The funeral will be at 2 p.m. today at Georgetown Baptist Church with burial in the Georgetown Cemetery according to Colquitt (GA) Funeral Home.
Mr. Graddy was born Dec. 4, 1894 in Troy, AL., son of Mr. and Mrs. Morgan Graddy. He was a member and former deacon of Georgetown Baptist Church. He was a retired lumberman and a member of the American Legion. He was a former Quitman County Coroner in the early 1970s', and was a veteran of World War I. He was the husband of the late Lula Graddy.
Survivors include his son, William A. Graddy of Georgetown; three daughters, Mrs. T. L. (Verdie) Surles of Preston, GA., Mrs. Calvin Clements (Doris) of Atlanta and Mrs. Mack Strickland (Yvonne) of Columbus; 12 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Orbit: Columbus Ledger Enquirer
Mr. Bill Graddy was affectionately referred to and Daddy Bill by his grandchildren.
During WWI, he served in France and received some injuries from Mustard Gas. He was a man of many trades. He raised pigs, cows, and did some farming in the area called the bottom, between Georgetown and the river (this area is now under lake Eufaula). He owned, and most of the time rented out, a tract of land in the county called the Tye Place, which he, in his later life, sold to his son-in-law and his wife, (Calvin and Doris Clements). He spent a good portion of his life cruising timber for various timber companies. He gave a corner of their property in Georgetown to his son and his wife, where William and Calvin, with help from a few friends, built a home for William and his family. He was a good friend with a person named Miller who lived near Cuthbert, GA and used part of the lot and barn behind his home to house mules which the two sold to locals. This operation lasted about 2 years. There were many good times in the home as they had a piano in the front room and groups from church and just friends would come, visit and sing as his wife, Lula, played the piano.
At a point in his life he was a somewhat heavy smoker, smoking 3 packs/ day of Camel cigarettes. But when I, Tommy, was about 14 yrs. old, he was out cruising a tract of timber and ran out of cigarettes, realized he was about 20 miles from the nearest store he knew of where he could purchase them, he decided that it was time to quit. He did and Lulu didn't detect this until he mentioned it to her about 2 weeks later. He never smoked again.
Many of the grandchildren spent weeks at a time in their home when we were young. Most of the time when there was a revival, or vacation bible school or some other activity was happening at the church. One of the activities of the grandkids was to search under the sofa and chair cushions for change. I suspect that Daddy Bill seeded these places knowing what we would do. He would spend time with us by taking us fishing, out to the Tye place for various functions and to the old home of one of his sister's Mrs Mattie Reeves and her husband.
William Watson Graddy 12/4/1894 – June 1, 1983
William Watson "Bill" Graddy, 88 of Georgetown, died Wednesday (June 1, 1983) at Clay County Hospital in Fort Gaines, GA. He was the father of a Columbus woman and a former Quitman County Coroner.
The funeral will be at 2 p.m. today at Georgetown Baptist Church with burial in the Georgetown Cemetery according to Colquitt (GA) Funeral Home.
Mr. Graddy was born Dec. 4, 1894 in Troy, AL., son of Mr. and Mrs. Morgan Graddy. He was a member and former deacon of Georgetown Baptist Church. He was a retired lumberman and a member of the American Legion. He was a former Quitman County Coroner in the early 1970s', and was a veteran of World War I. He was the husband of the late Lula Graddy.
Survivors include his son, William A. Graddy of Georgetown; three daughters, Mrs. T. L. (Verdie) Surles of Preston, GA., Mrs. Calvin Clements (Doris) of Atlanta and Mrs. Mack Strickland (Yvonne) of Columbus; 12 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Orbit: Columbus Ledger Enquirer
Mr. Bill Graddy was affectionately referred to and Daddy Bill by his grandchildren.
During WWI, he served in France and received some injuries from Mustard Gas. He was a man of many trades. He raised pigs, cows, and did some farming in the area called the bottom, between Georgetown and the river (this area is now under lake Eufaula). He owned, and most of the time rented out, a tract of land in the county called the Tye Place, which he, in his later life, sold to his son-in-law and his wife, (Calvin and Doris Clements). He spent a good portion of his life cruising timber for various timber companies. He gave a corner of their property in Georgetown to his son and his wife, where William and Calvin, with help from a few friends, built a home for William and his family. He was a good friend with a person named Miller who lived near Cuthbert, GA and used part of the lot and barn behind his home to house mules which the two sold to locals. This operation lasted about 2 years. There were many good times in the home as they had a piano in the front room and groups from church and just friends would come, visit and sing as his wife, Lula, played the piano.
At a point in his life he was a somewhat heavy smoker, smoking 3 packs/ day of Camel cigarettes. But when I, Tommy, was about 14 yrs. old, he was out cruising a tract of timber and ran out of cigarettes, realized he was about 20 miles from the nearest store he knew of where he could purchase them, he decided that it was time to quit. He did and Lulu didn't detect this until he mentioned it to her about 2 weeks later. He never smoked again.
Many of the grandchildren spent weeks at a time in their home when we were young. Most of the time when there was a revival, or vacation bible school or some other activity was happening at the church. One of the activities of the grandkids was to search under the sofa and chair cushions for change. I suspect that Daddy Bill seeded these places knowing what we would do. He would spend time with us by taking us fishing, out to the Tye place for various functions and to the old home of one of his sister's Mrs Mattie Reeves and her husband.
William Watson "Bill" Graddy, 88 of Georgetown, died Wednesday (June 1, 1983) at Clay County Hospital in Fort Gaines, GA. He was the father of a Columbus woman and a former Quitman County Coroner.
The funeral will be at 2 p.m. today at Georgetown Baptist Church with burial in the Georgetown Cemetery according to Colquitt (GA) Funeral Home.
Mr. Graddy was born Dec. 4, 1894 in Troy, AL., son of Mr. and Mrs. Morgan Graddy. He was a member and former deacon of Georgetown Baptist Church. He was a retired lumberman and a member of the American Legion. He was a former Quitman County Coroner in the early 1970s', and was a veteran of World War I. He was the husband of the late Lula Graddy.
Survivors include his son, William A. Graddy of Georgetown; three daughters, Mrs. T. L. (Verdie) Surles of Preston, GA., Mrs. Calvin Clements (Doris) of Atlanta and Mrs. Mack Strickland (Yvonne) of Columbus; 12 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Orbit: Columbus Ledger Enquirer
Mr. Bill Graddy was affectionately referred to and Daddy Bill by his grandchildren.
During WWI, he served in France and received some injuries from Mustard Gas. He was a man of many trades. He raised pigs, cows, and did some farming in the area called the bottom, between Georgetown and the river (this area is now under lake Eufaula). He owned, and most of the time rented out, a tract of land in the county called the Tye Place, which he, in his later life, sold to his son-in-law and his wife, (Calvin and Doris Clements). He spent a good portion of his life cruising timber for various timber companies. He gave a corner of their property in Georgetown to his son and his wife, where William and Calvin, with help from a few friends, built a home for William and his family. He was a good friend with a person named Miller who lived near Cuthbert, GA and used part of the lot and barn behind his home to house mules which the two sold to locals. This operation lasted about 2 years. There were many good times in the home as they had a piano in the front room and groups from church and just friends would come, visit and sing as his wife, Lula, played the piano.
At a point in his life he was a somewhat heavy smoker, smoking 3 packs/ day of Camel cigarettes. But when I, Tommy, was about 14 yrs. old, he was out cruising a tract of timber and ran out of cigarettes, realized he was about 20 miles from the nearest store he knew of where he could purchase them, he decided that it was time to quit. He did and Lulu didn't detect this until he mentioned it to her about 2 weeks later. He never smoked again.
Many of the grandchildren spent weeks at a time in their home when we were young. Most of the time when there was a revival, or vacation bible school or some other activity was happening at the church. One of the activities of the grandkids was to search under the sofa and chair cushions for change. I suspect that Daddy Bill seeded these places knowing what we would do. He would spend time with us by taking us fishing, out to the Tye place for various functions and to the old home of one of his sister's Mrs Mattie Reeves and her husband.
Bio by: T. (Tommy) L. Surles III
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