William Leonard "W. L." Grafton, Jr., age 93, of Columbus, MS, passed away September 18, 2012, at Baptist Memorial Hospital. Funeral services will be Thursday, September 20, 2012, at 4:00 PM at Gunter & Peel Chapel with Rev. Sammy Crawford officiating. The interment will immediately follow at Friendship Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday, September 20, 2012, from 3:00 PM until 4:00 PM at Gunter & Peel Funeral Home. Mr. Grafton was born August 11, 1919, in Sebastopol, MS, to the late Rev. W. L. and Sarah Viola Gardner Grafton, Sr. He was a veteran of WWII serving in the United States Navy. Mr. Grafton worked for many years in the transportation business, having worked many of those years in management for Hughes Management of Meridian, MS. He attended Fairview Baptist Church and in addition to his parents was preceded in death by his wife of 71 years, Annie Ruth Boswell Grafton, and daughter Margaret Ann Grafton Gore. Survivors include his grandson, Ray Gore, Jr. and wife Kym of Tulsa, OK, granddaughter, Cyndi Gore Sullivan and husband Shawn of Starkville, MS, great granddaughter, Margaret Ann Sullivan of Starkville, MS, and son-in-law, Ray Gore, Sr. of Columbus, MS. Pallbearers will be Frank Golden, Wes Golden, Ray Gore, Jr., Shawn Sullivan, David Gray, and Marty Holcombe. The family would like to thank Dr. Michael Berry and the critical care nurses of Baptist Memorial Healthcare. Memorials may be made to The Palmer Home for Children, P.O. Box 746, Columbus, MS, 39703.
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