Gary Lynn Graham, Sr. passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 16, 2024 at the age of 81 after a brief illness. “Big Gary,” as he was known to many, was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina on September 9, 1943 and attended Pine Forest High School. He attended Methodist College and then moved to Greensboro to work for Burlington Industries as an accountant. In 1971, he founded Graham & Associates Employment Consultants, Inc., which was one of the first temporary staffing services in Greensboro. He served as President of the North Carolina Association of Personnel Services and was inducted into the North Carolina Staffing Hall of Fame.
Big Gary is survived by Myrna Averitte Graham, his wife of 28 years, his sons, Gary Lynn Graham, Jr. (and wife, Garland), Cameron Evans Graham and William McClary Graham, stepson William Bradford Averitte (and wife, Shannon), grandsons Sullivan Gibbes Graham and Dylan Scott Volk, as well as his siblings, Tommy, Duane and Iris.
Big Gary loved to hunt, fish, spend time with his family and work in his yard. He was a wealth of knowledge about history and geography, especially Revolutionary War and Civil War history. He and Myrna shared a love of travel and took many road trips across the United States, often visiting national parks. When his sons were growing up, he spent countless weekends with them (and their friends, who he considered family), often taking groups of teenaged boys hunting, camping, or riding jet skis up and down the East Coast or fishing and snorkeling in Treasure Cay, Bahamas. He loved all things North Carolina, especially the Blue Ridge Parkway and Hillsdale Lake. In the last season of his life, he was an adored Grandpa to Sully and Dylan, which may have been his proudest role.
A celebration of life will be held at Friendly Avenue Baptist Church in Greensboro, North Carolina on Tuesday, November 26th at 3:00. The family will greet friends prior to the service beginning at 2:00 pm. Memorial donations may be made to Reelin’ for Research or Red Dog Farm Animal Rescue Network.
