October 1, 2026
Dr. Jerry Boyd "J.B." Graham, 90, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, passed away peacefully on May 11, 2026.
Born on April 25, 1936, in Randlett, Oklahoma, J.B. answered God's call to ministry during his high school years and faithfully served that calling for the rest of his life.
On August 17, 1957, he married the love of his life, Areta Ruth Warren Graham. Together, they built a marriage marked by devotion, sacrifice, steadfast faith, and deep love for faith and family. Areta preceded him in death by just over three years after nearly 66 years of marriage.
Dr. Graham's ministry journey carried him across the country and touched countless lives. He pastored churches in Texas, Virginia, and Maryland. He made headlines in Virginia for shepherding a struggling rural church through the process of converting an old barn into a sanctuary. His first denominational leadership role was as Director of Missions for the Susquehanna Baptist Association in Maryland. During that time, he earned his Doctor of Ministry degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, reflecting his lifelong devotion to theological education.
He later moved the family to Metro Atlanta when he joined the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. He served there for nearly 30 years in personnel, leadership development, and field training roles. During that time, he authored the Missions Development program and invested deeply in the training and encouragement of ministry leaders across North America.
Following his years at what later became the North American Mission Board, Dr. Graham was called to serve as Executive Director of the Baptist Convention of New York, faithfully leading and mobilizing ministry efforts during the difficult and historic days surrounding the tragedy of September 11, 2001. After returning to Georgia, he continued serving as both interim pastor for area churches and later Associational Missionary for the Apalachee Baptist Association. His final full-time pastorate was at Center Hill Baptist Church in Loganville, Georgia.
Throughout every season of life and ministry, J.B. became known as a man who fixed broken things. Whether it was a struggling church, a fractured relationship, a wounded life, an old car, or a weathered barn, he saw value where others often saw only wear and ruin. He believed deeply in the ministry of reconciliation and lived out the conviction that restoration was always worth the effort.
A brilliant administrator and careful student of human nature, J.B. possessed a rare ability to guide people in conflict toward understanding and resolution. He preferred to move carefully and deliberately rather than rush into decisions, but once committed, he pursued a task with unwavering determination. He was a man of deep integrity who valued honesty, hard work, and faithfulness in both word and action.
Outside the pulpit and ministry offices, J.B. loved woodworking, fishing, and restoring old things. Much of the family's furniture was lovingly handcrafted by him. He never saw much reason to throw away a screw, bolt, or scrap of wood because he believed nearly everything still had purpose long after the shine had faded. Many nights, he could be found staying awake until dawn repairing a family car simply because someone he loved needed it running again the next morning.
Though disciplined, measured, and occasionally stubborn, J.B. also possessed a deeply creative spirit. He wrote dramatic vignettes, embraced storytelling, and was known to preach sermons in costume whenever a visual illustration might better communicate truth. He could grumble with the best of them when something failed to meet his standards. Family members still laugh remembering the time a disappointing meal at Olive Garden prompted him to tell the staff, "I don't think y'all are ready for prime time."
Perhaps nowhere was his character more evident than during Areta's long battle with sepsis and cognitive decline. Through years of exhaustion, sleepless nights, difficult moments, and even physical hardship, he remained her constant advocate, caretaker, protector, and companion. His devotion never wavered, and he refused to let anyone offer her anything less than the very best care possible.
He is survived by his sons: Dr. J. Alan Graham; David L. Graham and wife Jodi L. Graham; and Jon G. Graham and wife Kerry (Jill) Hames-Graham. He is also survived by his grandchildren: Alysha Lewis and husband James Lewis; Joshua Graham and wife Kaitlyn Graham; Daniel Graham and wife Isabel Graham; and Zachary Graham. His great-grandchildren include Madilyn Graham, Thomas Graham, Theodore Graham, and Athena Graham.
Dr. Graham's life was one of service, craftsmanship, reconciliation, steadfast faith, and enduring love. The ministry of reconciliation was not merely a sermon he preached; it was the shadow his life cast.
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