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WINTON – Mrs. Bernice Meekins McGraw, loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and cherished member of the community, passed away peacefully at the age of 81 on May 11, 2024, at her home surrounded by her family. She was born in Dare County, North Carolina, on September 28, 1942.

Throughout her life, Bernice found joy in various interests, including her love for reading and writing, playing the piano with grace, displaying a beautiful voice, cherishing her family above all else, teaching children with passion, volunteering at Bearfield Primary School, and delighting in cooking while maintaining a clean home where all felt welcomed. Mrs. Bernice will be fondly remembered for her kindness, warmth, and unwavering devotion to family and faith. Her legacy of love and service will forever live on in the hearts of those who knew and adored her.

She was a devoted member of Mercy Church from its inception, finding solace and spiritual fulfillment in her faith. Bernice is preceded in death by her beloved mother, Cassie Morgan Meekins; her father, Edison Hooper Meekins; a daughter, Evelyn Dean McGraw; her brothers, Wilford Meekins and Ed Meekins; and her sisters, Elma Dean Jarrett, Margaret Barnette, Bonnie Meekins, and Arlene Smith.

Left to cherish her memory are her loving husband, Earl; her children, Earl McGraw, Jr. of Ahoskie, Steve McGraw of Winton, Suzanne Williams and husband Brent of Winton, and Toni Adkins and husband Will of Cary; her grandsons, Brandon Williams and wife Tracy, and Braxton Williams of Winton; great-grandson Barrett Williams; and numerous extended family and friends.

The family will receive friends on Monday, May 13, 2024, from 6-7:30 p.m. at Garrett-Sykes Funeral Service, Ahoskie, NC, and other times at the family home. A funeral service to honor and celebrate Bernice’s life will take place on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at 2 p.m. at Mercy Church, Ahoskie, NC, with Pastor Faircloth, Sr., and Pastor Faircloth, Jr., officiating. Burial will follow at Highland Memorial Gardens, Ahoskie, NC.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Mercy Church, PO Box 923, Ahoskie, NC 27910, or online at tmcfunding.com under fund search “Bernice McGraw.”

The caring staff at Garrett-Sykes Funeral Service – Ahoskie Chapel is assisting the McGraw family with arrangements, and condolences can be left for the family at www.garrettsykesfs.com.