Rev. William “Paul” Graham went home to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on June 13, 2010.

Paul was born on February 15, 1928 in Sallisaw, Oklahoma to Frank and Edna Graham. He was raised on “old McDonald’s Farm” just north of town. It was in Sallisaw where he met his childhood friend and high school sweetheart Martha Geraldine “Jerri” Brewer. Paul and Jerri were married on December 23, 1946.

Paul was proud to be a US veteran having served overseas during the Korean War. He attended college in Boliver, Missouri and in Shawnee, Oklahoma and received his ministerial degree from Oklahoma Baptist University in 1958. He was a leader among the student ministers and helped his professor and mentor, Dr. Yarborough, in writing the ministerial text book for college. He pastured churches in Sallisaw and Fair, Oklahoma and Fort Smith, Arkansas prior to coming to Ponca City in 1961. He pastured Second Baptist Church for 41 years before retiring in 2002, and then served as interim Pastor of the Ponca Indian Baptist Church until the time of his death. While pasturing the Indian Baptist Church, he developed a deep love for the culture and the people of the Ponca Tribe.

His love for his congregation and his desire to have each person come to a saving knowledge of Christ never waned. He had a passion to serve people, love people, and to see them living the more abundant life made possible through faith in Christ.

He led by example. He coined the word “DALACALAC” which is an acronym for “Don’t Act Like A Crab, Act Like A Christian”. Such was his attitude and he demonstrated it with his ever-present smile, warm laughter, and quick sense of humor.

Paul was well known throughout the Ponca City area for his weekly radio broadcast on WBBZ, and for his weekly newspaper column, “Think On These Things”. In 1979, he travelled to Uganda, Africa where he served as photographer for the book, “The Bloody Pearl”, which documented the atrocities committed by Idi Amin.

He enjoyed photography, wood working, and spending time with family and friends. He also had a passion for Bible study using the original Greek texts.

Paul was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Mary Evelyn and Faye, brother Ed, great grandson Jacob, and numerous brothers and sisters in Christ. He is survived by his faithful wife Jerri Graham of the home, son John Graham and wife Laura, daughter Janetta Rehanek and husband Dan, and son Gerald Graham and wife Mary all of Ponca City. Also surviving Paul are his grandchildren Paula Nelson and her husband Matthew, Wes and Kyle Graham, Beth Kriebel and her husband Jesse, Melissa Lott, Rachel Jones, and Sarah Graham, as well as six great grandchildren.

The family wishes to extent our deepest gratitude to Dr. Bruce Baugher and the nursing staff at the Ponca City Medical Center for extending To Paul and our family such tender, compassionate care during this time of great difficulty.

A memorial service in honor of Paul’s life will be held on Friday, June 18, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. the service will be held at Second Baptist Church, 1112 West Grand, in Ponca City, Oklahoma.

Condolences may be sent to the family using the Blackwell Funeral Home on line guest book at www.blackwellfh.com.