Homer Graham Jr.

Graham Jr. Homer Devon Graham Jr. "Von," passed away peacefully at the home of his daughter, Elizabeth, surrounded by his beloved and loving family on Friday, July 22, 2016. Von was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi on August 31, 1934 the son of Homer Devon Graham and Mary Grace Sims Graham. After living in several small towns in the Mississippi delta the family settled in Batesville, where Von graduated from Batesville High School in 1952 as a four-letter athlete and State All-Star in basketball. Von met Bettie Caldwell, his wife of 60 years, in Batesville. Von had offers to play football for a number of colleges but, because of a knee injury, he decided not to pursue college football. Like his father, Von attended Mississippi State University where he began his life-long love of golf, playing on the intercollegiate golf team. He graduated from MSU in 1956 where he was Grand Master of Kappa Sigma fraternity, President of the Business School and member of the Colonel's Club. In 1985 he was honored as both MSU Alumnus of the Year and the College of Business Distinguished Alumnus and in 2015 as one of the top 100 graduates for the 100 years of the MSU College of Business. In 1956 Von and Bettie moved to Houston, Texas, where he began his long career with Arthur Andersen & Co. In 1957, he took a two year absence to serve his country as a Lieutenant in the US Army stationed in Germany. After completing his service to our country, Von returned to Arthur Andersen's Houston office, ultimately serving as Managing Partner of the New Orleans office and later as Area Managing Partner for Houston, the Southwest and Southeast regions of the U.S. and Africa. He served on Arthur Andersen's Global Board of Partners for 16 years, as Chairman of the Board in 1983-1984 and on the Firm's Worldwide Executive Committee for 20 years. Von retired at the mandatory 62 years of age in 1997, immediately becoming President and CEO of R.E. Smith Interests and a trustee of the Smith Trusts, a position he held until his death. Von also served on the Board of Directors for Freeport McMoRan Inc. from 1999 until 2015, for McMoRan Exploration Co. from 1999 to 2013 and for Wm. B. Reily Company Inc. from 2000 until his death. During his lifetime Von gave his time and energy towards the support of numerous civic and charitable organizations in both of the cities he loved, New Orleans and Houston. Some of the organizations he served were Metairie Park Country Day School, First Baptist Church of New Orleans, New Orleans Country Club, United Way of New Orleans, New Orleans Metropolitan Crime Commission, Boy Scouts of America, Houston Grand Opera, New Orleans and Houston Symphonies, Greater Houston Partnership, The Regis School, The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research, the Mississippi State College of Business Executive Advisory Board and the Board of Directors for the MSU Foundation. He was an active, serving member in many New Orleans carnival organizations. He received many honors from the organizations he served; one of the most memorable was his selection to reign as Rex, New Orleans King of Carnival in 1985. Von was an avid golfer, waterfowl and quail hunter and enthusiastic supporter of Mississippi State academics and athletics as well as his New Orleans Saints. His greatest enjoyment, however, was being surrounded by his family and friends, including the friends of his children and grandchildren, on as many occasions as possible. Von is preceded in death by his parents and his grandson Sean Patrick Giroir. He is survived by his wife Bettie Caldwell Graham; son Dr. H. D. Graham III and his wife Nicole, son Tucker Graham, sons Homer Devon Graham IV and Ian Alexander Graham and their mother Constance LeBlanc; daughter Elizabeth Graham Giroir, husband Patrick and daughter Virginia Caldwell Giroir. He is also survived by sisters Mary Virginia Knapp (Kenneth) and Elizabeth Ann Butler (Vernon), step-granddaughter Skylar Cohn among many other beloved members of his extended family. A Memorial Service will be held at Chapelwood United Methodist Church on Thursday, July 28, 2016, at 10am with a visitation following. There will also be a visitation in New Orleans on Friday, July 29, at 4pm at a location to be determined. The family asks that in lieu of flowers that donations be made to the H. Devon Graham Endowed Professorship in Accounting at Mississippi State University, United Way, the Boy Scouts of America or the charity of your choice.

Service Information

July 28, 2016 10:00am, Chapelwood United Methodist Church