Joye Irene Parnell Graham, 93 of Fayetteville (Cedar Creek) passed away on Thursday, February 5, 2015 in her home with her daughters & son by her side.

She was born in Hoke county at Ashley Heights, NC on November 13, 1921 to Jesse Thomas Parnell & Dora Elizabeth Cook Parnell, she graduated as salutorian of her class from Seventy First High School on May 15, 1939 & also graduated from East Carolina Teachers College in May of 1943 with a double major in Home Economics & Science. Immediately she began teaching Vocational Home Economics at Stedman High School in Cumberland County & taught for six years before starting her family of four. She married James Hall Graham on August 13, 1944 in Dallas,Texas. She was a member of Cedar Creek Baptist Church since 1944 & was active in the Women's Missionary Union which she was President of for two years, taught in the Primary Department. was active in the Baptist Training Union (now called Discipleship Training) & sang in the church choir.

She was preceded in death by her Parents, Jesse Thomas Parnell & Dora Elizabeth Cook Parnell & her husband of 48 years James Hall Graham in 1992, a daughter Elizabeth Dare Graham in 1951, four sisters, Grace Foulk of Long Beach, NC, Cleo Cain of Fayetteville, NC, Lola Northener of Indiana & Edna Wilson of Salisbury, NC & a brother, James Truman Parnell of Kentucky. Joye Helped Organize the future Homemakers of America in North Carolina & was the first District III advisor (Vocational Teacher of Stedman High School). She was honored with a lifetime membership in the North Carolina Education Association when she retired from Stedman High School July 1, 1975.

The family will receive friends at Jernigan-Warren Funeral Home on Saturday February 7, 2015 from 6pm to 8pm, Funeral Service will be held on Sunday, February 8, 2015 at 3pm in Cedar Creek Baptist Church, with burial following in the church cemetery.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to Cedar Creek Baptist Church in memory of James & Joye Graham at 4170 Tabor Church Road, Fayetteville, NC 28312. She was married in the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas during WW II on August 13, 1944. She lived in and around Fayetteville, Nc since she was 10 years old. She never missed a day of school for 11 years & four years in college. She graduated in May 1939 from Seventy-First High School, returned to teaching after having her family, to the same school, but taught Physical Science in the ninth grade until she retired in 1975.

Joy was the 6th of 10 children, was a quilter & a member of the Tarheel Quilters Guild of Fayetteville since 1980. Survivors include: Two daughters, Brenda Joye Brantley & husband Lee of Virgilina, VA, Irene Parnell Graham Riel & her husband Thomas "Tom" Riel of White Lake, NC a son, James Hall Graham II "Jimmy" and his wife Brenda Jones Graham of White Lake, NC. Four Grandchildren, James Brandon Graham of Wilmington, NC, Briana Gayle Graham, Madison Justynn Riel & Virginia Parnell Riel all of White Lake, NC. a brother David Parnell of Fayetteville, nc, two sisters, Arlene Beach of Harrisburg, Arkansas, Leona Penland of Fayetteville, NC & Addie B. Williford of Fayetteville, NC. Joye is a retired school teacher of 23 years at Stedman High School & then later Stedman Jr High. She subistuted 23 years in schools all over Cumberland County until her husband went to be with the Lord in October 1992.

She was a member of the retired Teachers of NC, NC Assicoation of Educators (NCAE), (NCEA) member of the NCRGE, Gleaners Class of Cedar Creek Baptist Church, Sunnyside Senior Adults of Cumberland County, Golden Echoes of Cedar Creek Baptist Church, which she was precident of for 10 years, a member of AARP, upon retirement from the Cumberland County School System, Joye was presented a Lifetime membership to NCEA (NCAE).