Karen Sue Graham

On Saturday, December 13th, Karen Sue Spencer Graham departed this world and returned to the arms of God, reunited at last with those who went before her. She is survived by her beloved son, Cory Graham, her cherished grandson, Charleston Graham, who was the light of her later years. Additionally, her sisters, Louise (Dennis) Grounds, Barbara (Jim) McPhail, and Teresa Spencer; her nieces, Valerie (Jack) Ellis and Stacy King; and her great-nieces and great- nephews, Jackson (Hailey) Ellis, Lauren Ellis, and Samuel King. A daughter of Appalachia in the truest sense, she was born in the coal camps of Cabin Creek, West Virginia, and came of age in the turbulent 1960s, years that shaped her convictions, her compassion, and the woman she would become. Above all things, she championed kindness. Fearing it was slipping from the world, and she made it her quiet mission to remind everyone around her never to lose sight of its worth. Her love extended not only to the people in her life but to the animals she cherished. Generous at her core, and a devoted vegan for nearly the whole of her life, she found beauty in every living creature, even the odd sea animals collected by her grandson, whom she aﬀectionately claimed as her “great-grand fish.” Like them, she found her own peace and joy in the warmth and the waves of the ocean. Her years in Powell County were marked by service from the very beginning. During her long career with the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, she dedicated herself to the farmers and homemakers she often spoke of as family, and to the countless community members who came to her seeking help. Later, she honored her dear friend Rhonda Allen Barnett by completing her term as Powell County Clerk, guiding the county through the end of prohibition before retiring to devote her days more fully to those she loved. As a mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, daughter, and cousin, Karen placed her family at the center of her life. As a public servant, advocate, and proud member of the Powell County Democratic Hall of Fame, she held her community just as close to her heart. But above all else, simply as a human being, it was that very heart that shone brightest. It is that quiet brilliance, that unmistakable warmth, that will be missed most of all. Her passing may cast a shadow, but her memory remains a steady beacon guiding us, comforting us, and reminding us of the way home. She was loved dearly, and her spirit will never fade. Services Saturday, December 20, 1:00 by Bro. David Rogers and Mike Reed, Wells Funeral Home. Visitation Saturday 11am-1pm at the funeral home. Burial in Stonegate Cemetery with Mike Reed, Jack Ellis, Jackson Ellis, Kevin Hall, Matthew Combs and David Rogers serving as pallbearers. Honorary serving Samuel King, Judith Chaney, Pam Dooley, Virginia Todd, Evelyn Neely, Sherri Whisman, Leigh Rose, Teddy Lacy, Chad and Glenda Birch, Faye King, Josephine Lawson, Connie Newsome, Brinton and Tina Epperson, Pam Crowe, Gale Means, and her beloved family of farmers and homemakers.

Karen Sue Graham

January 11, 1954 - December 13, 2025