Bertha M. Graham

Bertha Graham Obituary Bertha Mae Graham was born in Summerdale, Alabama on March 23, 1927 to Annie M. O’Cain (nee Phillips) and Willie O’Cain. She relocated to Cleveland, Ohio as a teenager in the early 1940s. When Bertha was 16 years old, she married James Stubbs, and to this union was born Gwendolyn Jean and Dwight “Carl” James. She later married David Clarence Graham and to this union was born Shirley Ann and David Lawrence. Bertha and David were married until his death in 1995. During World War II Bertha found work at Reserve Knitting Mills, a manufacturer of women’s clothing. It was there that she developed her love of sewing. Throughout her life she sewed for family and friends, doing everything from alterations to complete garments, beginning with a pattern and yards of material. She became the resident seamstress in her community. After her children had grown up, Bertha was able to expand on her love for babies by beginning her lifelong career as a nanny. She would stay in her clients’ homes for 1-2 weeks after an infant’s birth to attend to the needs of the mother, infant, and other children in the home. This work allowed her to meet many people and travel to distant places. Her granddaughters, who affectionately called her “Gramma” were certainly grateful for her assistance after they gave birth to their children. Bertha was baptized at an early age and attended Community AME Church. She later joined her husband, David, at Antioch Baptist Church, and attended faithfully until her health would no longer allow her to continue. Through the years, Bertha developed a green thumb. Aside from the many plants she nursed at home, she also took care of the plants in the senior building where she lived. In the final years of her life, Bertha lived in a nursing home and continued her love of babies by ‘mothering’ her dolls. A particular nurse who grew quite fond of Bertha gifted her with a beautiful doll that Bertha named Charlotte. The nurse, Ann Marie Kay, then wrote and published a short story about a 90-year-old woman with dementia and her therapy doll entitled “Gramma and Charlotte”. Bertha Mae Graham peacefully transitioned from this life on July 13, 2022. Preceding her in death was her husband of 47 years, David C. Graham; sons, Dwight “Carl” J. Stubbs and David L. Graham; parents, Annie May Johnson and Willie O’Cain; sister, Valeria “Mickey” Goodman of Fairhope, AL; brother, Willie “Sonny” O’Cain, Jr. of Tuscaloosa, AL; and grandson, Nathan Graham. Those left to cherish her memory include her daughters, Gwendolyn J. Allen of Cincinnati, OH, and Shirley A. Teamer; sisters, Minnie H. Clayton of Atlanta, GA, and Mamie Brooks of Foley, AL; grandchildren, Avia (Anthony) Lesley, Trina Cherry of Milwaukee, WI; Jason Graham, Tiffany (Ed) Clark of Cincinnati, OH, Tahirah Grimes, Shawn Stubbs, Amy (Michael) Pendleton, Brandi Allen of Cincinnati, OH, Georgianne (Solomon) Vance, and Reuben (Felicia) Graham of Richmond, VA; 13 great-grandchildren and a host of other relatives and friends. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Bertha M. Graham, please visit our floral store. Read More

Bertha M. Graham

March 3, 1927 - July 13, 2022