James Kelly Graham

James Kelly Graham passed away following a long, hateful and evil illness at age 76. James was born December 11, 1948, to the late Ruben and Laura Graham of West Virginia. He was 1 of 6 children and the only child to graduate high school from his family. 

Following high school graduation, James was drafted in the Vietnam War. James earned the Bronze Star, National Defense Service Medal, Army Commendation Metal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal and Sharpshooter M16 Medal for his service in the US Army in Vietnam. James often said every time he rode in a helicopter in Vietnam, he always had one butt cheek hanging out because he always had to hitch rides to scavenge parts for tanks. 

Before leaving for Vietnam James married Bernice Bailey. They were married for 55 years. After returning home James and Bernice raised 3 children: Cheryl, James Jr (Jimmy) and Mark. Through good and hard times during life, James and Bernice were able to show by example to their children how to be hard workers, careful with their money and honor their word. Never hire someone to do a job you can do yourself and stand by your family.

James and Cheryl share a love of reading. James’s favorite authors were Lee Child, Clive Cussler and Agatha Christy. James instilled a love of guns and cars with Jimmy. With Mark James shared a love of family and various trivia. James, Jimmy and Mark were avid Cincinnati Reds fans.

James was the person who everyone in his family would turn to for help. Whether it was help with troubleshooting and fixing problems with a well, working on houses changing windows, doors or adding additions, electrical or plumbing problems or vehicle breakdowns James was always the go to expert.

James worked as a coal miner from the time he returned from Vietnam till 1990. Following a couple of back surgeries he became a MSHA inspector. Working as a MSHA Inspector was James’s favorite occupation. He was able to use the skills instilled in him from his time in the US Army to inspect coal mines rather than inspecting his children’s clean bedrooms or mowed lawn. James’s reputation for being a law following inspector once required the FBI to accompany him into a coal mine to perform an inspection after he received a death threat. Another time someone wrote to the editor of the Welch newspaper complaining about the MSHA inspector who thought he as the “Barney Fife” of MSHA.

James had a heart attack in 2002 which resulted in his retirement from MSHA. This was the start of a slow decline for James. As someone who worked his whole life, James drove his family crazy trying to stay busy. 

Jimmy married Della Jones. Jimmy and Della’s children are James Kelly III (Trey) and Andrea (Andi). Trey is the first grandchild. As James’s name sake, Trey shares his love of history and military stories. Andi is the first granddaughter and has a love of learning and a desire to become a doctor which James also shared. 

Mark married Lisa Looney. Mark and Lisa’s children are Mark Jr, Matthew (Matt) and Allison (Allie). Mark Jr would assist James with various building projects, sometimes resulting in the need to wear a hard hat while working with James. Matt is the youngest grandson and has James’s hard working and jump in to help personality. Allie is the baby of the grandchildren and has a hard working, fun loving but quite demeanor and shares James’s love of animals. 

Della and Lisa, though Graham by marriage, are Grahams for life. Through their guidance and love James and Bernice were blessed to be the grandparents to their 5 grandchildren. The 5 grandchildren could do no wrong in their eyes. All 5 grandchildren are honor students.

Various pets would join James and Bernice’s family over the years. Most rememberable are Barney the black Chow and Willie the Golden Doodle who tore off the vinyl siding from a garage that James was in the process of building. The pet that would always hold a special place in James’s heart is Sophie the Siberian Huskey. James taught Sophie how to do the Curly (3 Stooges) laugh which Bernice hated.

Life with James was not always easy or fun, especially in the last 5 years of his life. Cancer and a broken leg would forever change his life and the lives of his family. Treatment for the cancer would later be discovered to speed up a disease that would affect his entire family. Through this time Bernice, their children and grandchildren would remain by his side doing anything and everything to take the best care they could for him.

James will be laid to rest in a private ceremony with his wife Bernice, children and grandchildren in attendance. Pall bearers are James Kelly Graham, III, Mark Wayne Graham, Jr., Matthew Brady Graham, Kenny Looney, Rodney Rose, and Jonathan Perdue.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Bluefield Union Mission in his name. Every year on his birthday, James would purchase and donate food to the Union Mission as his birthday gift to himself.