David Graham

David Graham, Jr., 90, of Salisbury, N.C. died Thursday at Rowan Regional Medical Center. Born August 18, 1921 in Sparta, N.C., Dave was the son of the late David Graham, Sr. and Alma Kerr Graham. Raised on Fulton Street, Dave recalled fondly time spent with friends riding bicycles through Chestnut Hill Cemetery and their Halloween tradition of disconnecting Salisbury’s trolley cars. When David, Sr. was appointed jailor, the family relocated to the Rowan Jail. Dave would marvel at the skill with which his mother prepared food for the entire jail. He would recall the sound David, Sr.’s jail keys made when new prisoners would arrive during the night. Dave attended Salisbury City Schools and went on to star in football and basketball at Boyden High. Under Coach Bill Ludwig, the basketball team won the 1938 Western Conference 3A Championship with a final record of 22-2. Sadly, Boyden lost to Durham High School in the State Championship Game. Following graduation, Dave passed on athletic scholarships to Catawba College and Clemson University, electing instead to take courses in fingerprinting from the Institute of Applied Science in Chicago. He accepted a job as a fingerprint expert and Identification Officer with the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office in 1940. Soon thereafter, he met a teacher at Mt. Ulla High School, Pauline Everhardt, and fell deeply in love. As with many men of his generation, world events cared little for his timeline. Dave was drafted in 1942. He and Polly were married August 15, 1942. After training in Macon, Georgia, Miami, Florida, and Battle Creek, Michigan, Dave left for Guam. He was assigned to the Army Air Force Military Police and served until 1946. Dave returned to Salisbury and a daughter, Patsy, was born in 1948. Another daughter, Nancy, completed the family in 1952. In 1949, Dave was appointed Chief of the Rowan County ABC Law Enforcement Unit. His job, as he described it, was to catch bootleggers. He and his fellow agents would spend days in the woods with a canteen of coffee and an eye on the closest still. The boredom of those many hours was worth the excitement of the few minutes when the hapless moonshiner would slip through the forest to check on his mash. Most quickly surrendered; there was a mutual respect among bootleggers and revenuers. Some didn’t. Dave often recalled the night his best friend, ATF agent and former Sheriff of Rowan County, the late Bob Martin, was shot while they raided a still. With Dave’s quick tourniquet and a little luck, Bob made it out, sans a trigger finger. Others would haul the liquor, and high-speed chases would ensue. Dave especially enjoyed those, and marveled at the horsepower these NASCAR predecessors were able to evoke from their bona fide stock cars. An especially bad crash shattered Dave’s shoulder, a pain he felt until his death. Dave forgot more tales than most ever made. With his body mostly intact and grandchildren entering his life, Dave was appointed General Manager of the Rowan County ABC in 1970, a post he held until his retirement in 1991. Daughter Patsy was diagnosed with cancer in 1982. Dave drove to Patsy’s home in Greensboro and stayed every weekend, while Polly stayed permanently. Patsy died in 1989. Never one for the idle life, following retirement, Dave worked six years as Grand Jury Officer and Bailiff in the Rowan Courts for Sheriff Bob Martin. He very much enjoyed being around his fellow law enforcement agents, in whatever capacity. It was during this time that Polly began her decade-long struggle with Alzheimer’s. Dave kept Polly on a pedestal, nothing and no one was more important. He left his job as a bailiff to care for Polly full-time. Years of war and chasing bootleggers had destroyed his knees, but Dave neglected himself to see to it that Polly had the best care he could provide. He was by her side for a decade. Dave lost Polly in 2007. Dave loved Salisbury, and seemed to know everyone. He was a York Rite Mason, a member of the Andrew Jackson Masonic Lodge No. 576, Harold B. Jarrett Legion Post, and VFW. He served as President of the NC ABC Law Enforcement Association and on the Board of Directors of the NC ABC Boards Association. Dave was a member of Second Presbyterian Church, Nelson Haden Bible Class, and a former deacon. He turned down many suggestions to run for elected office, instead electing to devote his time and energy to his wife and raising his daughters, and later his grandchildren. He could usually be found at some local establishment, shaking hands, laughing, reminiscing, and introducing an admiring grandchild to whatever best friend happened to be seated nearby. It took Dave a while to leave restaurants. During the later years of his life, Dave took his breakfast at Richard’s Barbecue, and most lunches, too. When his knees began to slow him down, those friends would simply visit his table, rather than he theirs’. He even graced the front page of the Salisbury Post in the spring of this year when the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office called, seeking his expertise on a moonshine still they had discovered. If life is measured by the number of lives meaningfully touched, Dave was a rich man. And others were richer for knowing Dave. Dave was preceded in death by his parents, David Graham, Sr. and Alma Kerr Graham; his daughter, Patricia Graham Moore; his wife, Pauline Everhardt Graham; and sister Mary Krider Graham. Surviving are his daughter, Nancy Graham Corriher; son-in-law, John Kendall Corriher; his grandchildren, Kendall Corriher Fulham and husband John Nicholas Fulham of Kannapolis, Katie Corriher Welch and husband Joshua William Welch of Landis, John Graham Corriher and wife Danielle Andrews Corriher of Chapel Hill, Erin Moore Dale of Arizona, and David Clayton Moore of Greensboro; his great-grandson, William Thomas Welch; and his siblings Rachel Graham Terry and Helen Graham Rusher of Salisbury, and Thomas McKnight Graham of Gastonia. He is also survived by loving friends Marjorie Goodwine and Wilhemina Saulters. Visitation: 6:30 p.m.–8 p.m. Sunday, August 28 at Summersett Funeral Home in Salisbury. Service: A graveside service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday, August 29 at Rowan Memorial Park in Salisbury with the Reverend Stan Welch officiating. Memorials: The family requests memorials be made to Rowan Helping Ministries, P.O. Box 4026, Salisbury, NC 28145-4026, or a charity of the donor’s choice. The family wishes to thank Dr. Myron Arthur Goodman for his compassion and care during the final weeks of Dave’s life. He was a great comfort to both Dave and the family. Summersett Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be made at www.summersettfuneralhome.com

David Graham

August 18, 1921 - August 25, 2011