From share cropping to sharing the word of God with others. He never forgot his roots. From being a small colored boy living day to day on a farm in Lake City, South Carolina to becoming a Doctor of Theology. From hearing stories of what God can do, to being a living testimony of what God will do. Dr. Gadson L. Graham transitioned from mortal to immortal on August 9th, 2017 at the Care One in Cresskill, New Jersey. Rev. Dr. Gadson L. Graham was born the son of Gadson Graham, Sr. and Bertha (Timmons) Graham in a small one- house town called Lake City, South Carolina on April 19, 1935. He was their youngest child. His birth mother, Bertha Graham died when he was two years old. God filled the emptiness with another mother, Mrs. Ida Graham who he called "Mama". Ida took Gadson under her wing and raised him as he was her very own. She was a major influence throughout his life. His parents were both deeply involved in church; his mother was Baptist and his father, Methodist. They worshiped at Mount Beulah United Methodist Church and Bethlehem Baptist Church in Lake City. Although they were involved in different denominations, they equally shared and taught him the Word of God. Church was where he learned some of his lasting life lessons. He accepted Christ at a young age. He recalls the best day of his life was when God reached down, touched him and whispered in his ear "my child, I love you." He was educated in Lake City Public Schools and after graduating from Lake City High School he left South Carolina to come to Englewood, New Jersey. Once he arrived in New Jersey the first thing he wanted to do was decide what he wanted to do with his life, since he desired a change of pace after experiencing life on a farm. He accepted a job at Max Grobrow Real Estate in Englewood, New Jersey. Gadson began his preaching the fields and woods. In the midst of the sweltering heat and the sun beating down on his face and back. The Lord revealed to him, He wanted him to spread his word by preaching the Gospel. The urge to preach was so great He could not resist it, even though for a while he tried. Gadson finally surrendered to the Lords calling. Shortly thereafter, he married his wife, Harrie Maude Cameron and to this union three children were born, Timothy, Gertha and Barry. He was licensed to preach by Reverend Harry McGrill, pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Lake City and ordained by the Jerusalem Baptist Association of South Carolina. He and Harrie Maude joined the Community Baptist Church of Englewood, New Jersey under the late Reverend J.M. Wilson was Senior Pastor and the late Rev. Archibald Barrow was Assistant Pastor. For the next three years He served as Associate Pastor under Wilson and Barrows. While serving at Community Baptist he met the Late Reverend Flovelle LaGarde, Senior Pastor of the Community Baptist Church of Paterson, NJ. He adopted Rev. Graham into his family as a son and also provided invaluable training to him throughout the early stages of his ministry. After successful tutelage, Rev. Graham went on to become Assistant Pastor of Community Baptist Church in Paterson, New Jersey under Rev. LaGarde. On April 16, 1959, Rev. Gadson L. Graham was installed as Pastor of the Canaan Baptist Church. And for the next 56 years. He would pastor its people. The work that God had assigned to him in the hot cotton field of South Carolina had been fulfilled. He immediately began working towards building a new church building for the Canaan Baptist Church. On August 11, 1963 was the groundbreaking service to begin building the new church and two years later it was complete. As the years progressed and the church membership and ministries increased, it resulted in the continued expansion of the Canaan Church property twice. While leading a church, fulfilling his duties as a husband and father and maintaining a job Rev. Graham continued his education. He graduated from Shelton College (the first in his family to graduate from college) in 1965. He continued his studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York and attended the Lyman Beecher Lecture Series at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut 1975 and 1976 and studied at the Jerusalem Center for Learning in Israel along with receiving his Masters and Doctorate Degrees in Theology from Andersonville Seminary in Camilla, Georgia. In 1985, he toured parts of Africa with the African American Summit. On one of his many trips to Africa and South Africa he was honored to meet the Honorable Nelson Mandela, President of South Africa and the Honorable Robert Mugabe, President of Zimbabwe. In 1975, Rev. Alfred Pugh extended an invitation to Dr. Graham to accompany him and other ministers on a trip to Haiti in an effort to make donations to needy families. This life changing experience had such an impact on Dr. Graham that he was motivated to expand Canaans mission work to Haiti. Our outreach program in Haiti feeds 20,000 people who inhabit 900 acres of farmland in Leogane, Haiti. The foreign missions program in Haiti, supports a school, hospital, nursing home and church. In addition to the work in Haiti we also have extended our foreign missions program to Africa. Some of Dr. Grandson L. Graham accolades: • Travelled extensively throughout the world and has preached and witnessed on 5 of the 7 continents. • An official Tour Host for the State of Israel • Invited by the Israeli Government to tour Israel with the Commission of Inter-Religious Affairs with Educational Opportunities • Honored by the National Baptist Convention for 50 years of Ministering. • On September 22, 2013 Dr. Graham received an Honorary Doctorate Degree of Divinity from Virginia University of Lynchburg, Virginia. Some of Dr. Grahams Achievements: • The first minister to hold a Revival at a State Correctional Facility in New Jersey. The revival was held at The Rahway Prison. • The first African American Minister to mentor African American students at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, NJ • Past President of Board of Directors of Paterson Ecumenical Pre-School, Paterson, NJ • President of the Advisory Board of Rutgers School of Nursing, Newark, NJ • Annually taught a class at the renown Cornerstone Baptist Church Institute, Brooklyn, NY. • Member of the Baptist Ministers Conference of New York and Vicinity • Member of the Hampton Ministers Conference, Hampton, VA • Member of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. Rev. Dr. Gadson L. Graham was a world traveler and historian, he loved to tour the south and visit historic places and journal the life of African American people in early America. He loved photography. He was all about education especially for our youth. One of his greatest desires which he did not get to fulfill was to write a book for his beloved grandsons, Brandon and Devin. A book with a wealth of knowledge about his family, his travels, the people he met that helped to shape his life and what he learned on his journeys around the world. Words cannot describe Dr. Gadson L. Graham, a preacher, teacher, historian, world traveler, husband, father, grandfather. He dedicated his life to helping others. He loved his family, his church, his community. Whether preaching, teaching, or working with the disadvantaged he opened his heart (and often his wallet) to the world. In life, especially as Pastor of a church for over 56 years he faced many challenges but never once retreated. One of his lifes mottos was," A winner never quits and a quitter never wins. Dr. Graham was preceded in death by his parents Gadson Graham, Sr. and Bertha Graham, Stepmother, Ida (Mama) Graham, Brothers David Graham, Jimmy and Richard McCutcheon. Sisters Helen Singletary, Chessie Cockfield, Lillian Graham, Lillie Bell Dickey, Marion Wright, Flossie Graham, Melva Cooper; Brothers in laws JD Cockfield, Walter Dickey Sr., LC. Washington, Willie Cameron, Joseph Cameron Jr., James Cameron, George Cameron. Sister in laws, Helen Cameron, Verlene Cameron, Jettie Mae Baker, Janie Graham. He leaves to cherish memories His loving wife Harrie Maude , three children Timothy (Ann), Gertha Dawson, Rev. Barry Graham(Joelle). Three Grandchildren, Brandon, Devin Graham, Latrisha Best, One Great-granddaughter; London Andrews; Adopted son, Michael Darby. In Laws Jane Washington, Frankie Nell Cameron, Maltonia Barr (W.C. Barr), Mabel Cameron, Italy Baker. And a host of nieces and nephews relatives and friends and church family. An Online Memorial was created to commemorate the life of our beloved Brother. You are invited to add a Tribute in his memory. 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