HAROLD GRAHAM

EASLEY — Mr. Harold Ernest Graham, 80, husband of Teri Ann Ayers Graham, passed away Monday, March 30, 2026.

Born in Wayland, N.Y., the son of the late Lewis Elwin Graham and the late Dorothy Hills Graham, Mr. Graham owned and operated his own construction business for many years and attended Abiding Peace Lutheran Church.

He was a U.S. Marine Corps Veteran having served during the Vietnam War.
Surviving, in addition to his wife of 31 years; are his sons, Chad Graham (Christina) of Denton, N.C., Timothy Graham (Erin) of Nassau, N.Y., Shannon Brown (Stephanie) of Charlotte and Stephen Brown (Kathy) of Pickens; his daughter, Terri Yerkes (Kyle) of Canandaigua, N.Y.; 14 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life service was held April 3, in the chapel of Robinson Funeral

Home-Downtown.
Visit robinsonfuneralhomes.com or Robinson Funeral Home and Crematory-Downtown, Easley.

 

MARY JOE ‘JODY’ MORGAN

PICKENS — Mary Joe “Jody” Morgan, 72, beloved wife of 51 years to Marion “Frank” Morgan, passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025, at her home.

Born on Dec. 30, 1953, in Greenville County, Jody was the cherished daughter of the late Thomas Joe Hudson and Carolyn Grace Lark Hudson. A devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, she loved her family deeply, especially her grandchildren, who brought her endless joy. Jody found happiness in the simple pleasures of life, including working in her yard and tending to her flowers. She was a dedicated homemaker with a lively spirit, known for her wonderful sense of humor and her love of laughter.

Jody is survived by her husband, Marion “Frank” Morgan of the home; children, Marion Morgan Jr. (Amanda) of Anderson and Thomas Morgan (Kayla) of Pickens; nine grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Renee (Keith) and Kim (Larry).

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sister, Shelia Coleman.

A visitation will be held on April 9, in the chapel of Mountain View Funeral Home from 1:30 p.m. until 2 p.m. with a funeral service to follow at 2 p.m. A private family burial will be held.

Mountain View Funeral Home is serving the Morgan family.

 

CARLENE CRABTREE

EASLEY — Sunday afternoon, Heaven’s gates opened wide as Carlene Crabtree, 72, entered in to her heavenly home on March 29, 2026, at Prisma Health Greenville.

Born in Crossville, Tenn. to the late Cecil and Ruby Lee Bilbrey Phipps. She was a graduate of Cumberland County High School in Crossville, Tenn. She retired from Alice Manufacturing, in Easley.

Carlene was a faithful member of Maranatha Baptist Church and as her health allowed, she would sing in the choir. That was what she loved most of all, praising the Lord. She is singing in the “Heavenly Choir” now.

She is survived by a loving, caring companion, Wallace Gillespie; three children, Donald Anthony Brown (Michelle), Gina Turner Jones and Astrid Renee Sands (Alan); seven grandchildren, Ashlee Brown, Savanna Boyd, Justin Barrow (Chelsea), Thomas Barrow (Carson), Kelly Sands, Kelslin Browder and Loribeth Turner; four great-grandchildren, Blair, Mya, Anglea and Afi; and a daughter in law, Nicole Brown; great friends, Wally and Penny Gillespie, Chana Davis and Jennifer Johnson.

A Funeral Service was held on April 6, at Maranatha Baptist Church.

A Committal Service took place at New Hope Baptist Church, following the service.

 

MONA POTTER STEPHENSON

CLEMSON — Mona Potter Stephenson bade farewell on Feb. 22, 2026, and her presence on this earth will be sorely missed by those who knew her.

She was born on Dec. 9, 1929, and lived a full life that she did not take for granted.

She spent much of her life caring for others in a variety of roles to include a nursing career. She was tough, kind, smart, beautiful, and funny.

Despite suffering from dementia in her later years, she maintained her identity, impeccable manners, and sense of humor. She had an especially close relationship with her granddaughter, Shelley, whom she was Mama to and her great-granddaughters, Corinne and Cassandra.

It was a privilege to know her and to be part of her twilight years as she was a true class act and a wonderful human who enriched the lives of those around her.

Anyone wishing to honor her is welcome to make a contribution to the Dementia Society of America in her memory.

 

ARVIE LEWIS LESLEY

PICKENS — Arvie Lewis Lesley, 78, loving husband of 54 years to Kathy Barrett Lesley, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Sunday, March 29, 2026, at his residence, surrounded by his loving family.

Born on Dec. 8, 1947, in Pickens County, Arvie was the beloved son of the late William Elford Lesley and Kathleen Graham Lesley. A devoted family man, he cherished every moment spent with those he loved. Arvie found great joy in tending to his flower beds and garden, taking pride in the beauty he cultivated, and he especially enjoyed the peace and relaxation of fishing. He was a faithful member of West End Baptist Church in Easley, where his strong and abiding relationship with Christ was evident in the way he lived his life.

Survivors include his wife, Kathy Barrett Lesley of the home; son, Hank Lesley (Janese) of Pickens; grandchildren, Jamie Lesley, Jessica Southerland (Jamey), Jonathan Lesley, Zachary Mosley, Rebecca Mauldin, Morgan Lesley, Kati Peddie and Hope Henderson; great-grandchildren, Chase, Abby, Lexy, Lizzy, Zoey, Jase, Grayden, Sabrina, Hannah, Alex, Scarelett and Gunner; great-great-grandchildren, Smokey and Sutton; and brother, Terry Lesley of Pickens.

In addition to his parents, Mr. Lesley was predeceased by his son, Bobby Joe Lesley.

A funeral service was held on April 2, at the sanctuary of West End Baptist Church. Burial took place following the service at Blue Ridge View Baptist Cemetery in Pickens.

Flowers will be accepted.

Mountain View Funeral Home is serving the Lesley family.

 

JUANITA VIVIAN HELMS

EASLEY — Juanita Vivian Helms passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loving family.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 55 years, Ted Helms, who passed away 10 years earlier, as well as her son, Brian Monroe Helms, and many cherished family members who had gone on before her.

Juanita looked forward with faith and hope to being reunited with them in heaven.

Juanita was born in Willow Springs, Mo., to James and Pearl (Elmore) Bradford. She was the youngest of seven children. She was preceded in death by her siblings Nova Bradford, Charles Bradford, Roy Bradford, Raymond Bradford and Fern Reynolds. She is survived by her sister, Thelma Reynolds of Waterloo, Iowa.

Juanita loved her family fiercely and devoted her life to them. She is survived by her children Retta Sundblad (Richard), Brad Warneka (Marta) and Wanda Hersey (Samuel). Her youngest son, Brian Helms, preceded her in death. She is also survived by her grandchildren Justin Helms (Bonnie), Charity Childress (Joel), Rachael Lindstedt (Joseph), Michael Sundblad (Lori), Theodore Warneka and David Hersey (Monty). Juanita was further blessed with 11 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren, all of whom were deeply shaped by her love.

Beyond her devotion to family, Juanita found joy in the simple pleasures of life. She enjoyed gardening, home improvement projects, reading, and travel. She had a deep love for gospel music, and the Gaither Channel was often playing in her home. Together, Juanita and Ted traveled to all 48 continental states, creating lifelong memories along the way. Though she never learned to swim, she happily joined her children on boat rides, savoring every moment together.

An enthusiastic camper, Juanita carefully planned family camping trips, including a beloved tradition of picking Ted up after his second-shift job and driving through the night from Iowa to Colorado so their adventures could begin first thing in the morning. Her determination shone through later in life when, after her oldest child entered high school, she returned to school and proudly earned her GED.

Juanita was also known for her love of cooking. The warmth of her home was often filled with the smell of homemade cookies when the children returned from school.

Her cookies were so beloved that Ted had to hide his lunchbox from coworkers to keep them from disappearing. These simple, loving moments defined the heart of who Juanita was.

Juanita Vivian Helms will be remembered for her unwavering love, strong faith, adventurous spirit, and the warmth she brought to her family and home. Her legacy lives on in the lives of those she loved so deeply.

 

HAROLD GRAHAM

EASLEY — Mr. Harold Ernest Graham, 80, husband of Teri Ann Ayers Graham, passed away Monday, March 30, 2026.

Born in Wayland, N.Y., the son of the late Lewis Elwin Graham and the late Dorothy Hills Graham, Mr. Graham owned and operated his own construction business for many years and attended Abiding Peace Lutheran Church. He was a U.S. Marine Corps Veteran having served during the Vietnam War.
Surviving, in addition to his wife of 31 years; are his sons, Chad Graham (Christina) of Denton, N.C., Timothy Graham (Erin) of Nassau, N.Y., Shannon Brown (Stephanie) of Charlotte and Stephen Brown (Kathy) of Pickens; his daughter, Terri Yerkes (Kyle) of Canandaigua, N.Y.; 14 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life service was held April 3, in the chapel of Robinson Funeral Home-Downtown.
Visit robinsonfuneralhomes.com or Robinson Funeral Home and Crematory-Downtown, Easley.

CARL BRADLEY STATON

PICKENS — Carl Bradley “Brad” Staton, 49, passed away on Friday, March 20, 2026, at his home. He was the son of Joyce Day Staton of Pickens and the late Carl Staton.

Brad had a deep love for the outdoors and enjoyed spending time fishing and riding his jet ski on Lake Keowee. He was an avid fan of UFC, taking pride in collecting memorabilia from the sport.

Brad also had a passion for music.  He enjoyed playing guitar as well as collecting guitars and amplifiers.  Brad also loved attending concerts, always keeping the ticket stubs for every concert he ever attended.

In addition to his mother, Brad is survived by his sister, Teresa Terry Pilgrim (David) of Pickens; his nieces and nephews, Daulton Pilgrim (Johanna), Dylan Pilgrim (Lauren), Davis Pilgrim (Ally Emerson) and Deyton Pilgrim (Ethan Black); and his great-nieces and nephews, Denver, Della-Scott, Danny and Delilah Pilgrim.

Brad was preceded in death by his father, Carl Staton.

A funeral service was held on March 24, at Mountain View Funerals and Cremations, in the funeral home chapel. Burial followed at Hillcrest Memorial Park.

Mountain View Funerals and Cremations are honored to serve the Staton family.