The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want, He maketh me to lie down in green pasture, he leadeth me beside the still waters, he restoreth my soul…

Manya Angiesette Henry Graham was born April 9, 1962, to the late Kirby and Barbara Henry. She was the seventh child of eight girls born to this union. She was reared and educated in Caledonia, MS. At an early age she accepted Christ as her personal savior and joined Anderson Grove Missionary Baptist Church. She was active in church activities and loved singing in the choir. After moving out of the local area she always managed to find a church home and join the choir. She sang with Nellis AF gospel choir where she had an opportunity to sing backup for the late Andre Crouch. She became a lead soloist for the Iraklion Air Station gospel choir and a powerful alto for the Little Rock AFB gospel choir. While living in Ft Walton Beach Florida she joined Greater Peace M.B. Church and sang in the Adult Choir. While living in Little Rock, AR, Manya attended business school, earned her office management certificate, and worked a brief time in her field.

Manya loved God, family & friend, a serious game of spades, a winning scratch-off and the famous Dallas Cowboys. If you wanted her to, "get worked up," start talking trash about them cowboys. She loved people! Before her health failed, she would regularly cook and invite her friends over. There was never a dull moment when she was around. She was caring and generous to all who knew her.

In the fall of 1980 while listening to a local radio station she heard the voice of the man she would forever call her husband. On May 14, 1983, she married Anthony "Tony" Graham. To this union one child was born. They later divorced but she never stopped introducing him as "my husband."

February 12, 2024, at 2:09am at Wake County Medical Center in Raleigh North Carolina, without a sound or a gesture, Manya took her last breath. The attending physician announced her official departure as 2:24am. She joins her parents; daughter, Britney; sisters, Katherine Hawkins, Forrest Henry, Vicky Henry and Maxine Owen; brothers, Arthur Hester, James Allen Henry, along with her nephew and three nieces which preceded her in death.

Her memories will be honored by her three children: Forrest Dominique Graham of Raleigh, NC; Michael Bouknight (Nyasia) of Chicago, IL; Quinton Dawson of Columbus MS; two grandchildren; Alijah and Jordan Irwin both of Raleigh, NC; four sisters, Donna Henry Burns of Snellville, GA; Marva Wooten (Larry) of Louisville, KY; Deborah Burr (Willie) of Caledonia, MS; Earnie Davenport (Carl) of Belton, TX; one aunt, Betty Jean Barker of Tulsa, OK; seventeen nieces and nephews, eighteen great nieces and nephews; and a host of extended relatives and friends.