Mary Louise (Sesler) Graham (1922 - 2019)

Born 22 Jun 1922 in Uniontown, Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Wife of Horace Reynolds Graham Jr — married about 19 May 1944 (to about 1963) in Pensacola, Florida

Descendants

Died 1 Apr 2019 at age 96 in Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Rob Graham [send private message]

Biography

Mary Louise Sesler^[1] was born on 22 Jun 1922^[1] in Uniontown Pennsylvania. ^[1][2]

She was the daughter of James T. Sesler and Georgia Jeffrey.^[1]

Mary Louise graduated from Uniontown Senior High School on 2 June 1939^[3].

She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Bethany College in 1943 with a Batchelor of Arts in French.^[3][4]

Mary Louise married Horace Reynolds Graham Jr. on 19 May 1944 at Pensacola, Florida.^[5][6] Together they had two children:

1. Robert Wallace Graham, 7 Feb 1945, Uniontown, Pa.
2. Kathleen Kelly Graham, 12 Feb 1948, Maria Elena, Chile.

In 1946 she accompanied Horace to Maria Elena, Antofagasta, Chile where Horace was employed as a Chemical Engineer with Anlo-Lautaro Nitrate company. While in Maria Elena, she helped establish an intercultural association and taught English to members of the local community. While in Chile, she acquired the nickname "Malu", by which she would be known for the rest of her life.

Malu and Horace returned to the United States in 1953, settling in Memphis Tennessee.

Malu and Horace divorced in 1964, and later in 1964 Malu married Milton J Francis.^[7]

On her retirement she moved to Ft. Walton Beach, Florida, and focused on writing short stories and poetry. She was awarded the Hackney Literary award from Birminham Southern College in 1989 for her national prize-winning short story "Heavy Chemistry"^[8]

Malu and Milton divorced in 1979. ^[9]

After her divorce from Milton, she returned to Memphis, where she would remain until her death.

During her years in Memphis she was an active writer of short stories and poetry, and a member of the Memphis chapter of the Tennessee Poetry Society. She was active as both a poet and a judge of poetry, and was selected Poet Laureate of Tennessee in 2006-2007^[10], and Senior Poet Laureate of Tenessee in 2009^[10]

She died on 1 April 2019 in Memphis, Tennessee^[11]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Ancestry.com. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Immigration Cards, 1900-1965 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016.; Original data: "Rio de Janeiro Brazil, Immigration Cards, 1900-1965". FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2013. Index entries derived from digital copies of original and compiled records.; Record Details - Name: Mary Louise Graham [Mary Louise Sesler]; Gender: Female; Marital status: Married; Birth Date: 21 Jun 1922; Birth Place: Uniontown; Father: James Sesler; Mother: Georgia Jeffrey; Traveling With Children: No; FHL Film Number: 004914153;
2. ↑ Source Citation: Year: 1930; Census Place: Uniontown, Fayette, Pennsylvania; Page: 14A; Enumeration District: 0108; FHL microfilm: 2341775; Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002.; Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls.; Record Details- Name: Mary L Sesler; Birth Year: abt 1923; Gender: Female; Birthpace: Pennsylvania;
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Mary Louise Sesler - Official Academic Record, Bethany College, Bethany, West Virginia, May 23, 1943; see scanned image M. L. Graham - Bethany College Official Record 1943
4. ↑ Commencencement Program, Bethany College, 1943. See scanned PDF document Bethany College Commencement Program, 1943
5. ↑ State Archive, Tallahassee and clerk of courts, various counties; Tallahassee, Florida; Florida, County Marriages, 1823-1982; Source Information: Ancestry.com. Florida, County Marriage Records, 1823-1982 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016.; Original data: Marriage Records. Florida Marriages. Various Florida County Courthouses and State Archive, Tallahassee, Florida; Record detail - Name: Mary Louise Sesler; Gender: Female; Marriage Date: 19 May 1944; Marriage Place: Florida, USA; Spouse: Horace Reynolds Graham; Film Number: 002115780
6. ↑ Ancestry.com. Florida, County Marriage Records, 1823-1982 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016.; Original data: Marriage Records. Florida Marriages. Various Florida County Courthouses and State Archive, Tallahassee, Florida. Citing: Marriage License 18800; State of Florida, Central Bureau of Vital Statistics, Escambia County C J No 32731 issued to Horace Renolds Graham Jr and Mary Louise Sesler on 17 May 1944 at the Pensacola, Florida courthouse. Marriage Certificate signed on 19 May 1944 at the N.A.S. Chapel, Pensacola Florida, recorded 25 May 1944, marriage book 59, page 201
7. ↑ Source Citation: Virginia Department of Health; Richmond, Virginia; Virginia Marriages, 1936-2014; Source Information : Ancestry.com. Virginia, Marriage Records, 1936-2014 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.; Original data: Virginia, Marriages, 1936-2014. Virginia Department of Health, Richmond, Virginia. ;Record Detail: Name: Mary L Graham; Marriage Date: 9 Apr 1964; Marriage Place: Arlington, Virginia, USA
8. ↑ The Beach Breeze; Fort Walton Beach, Florida; 08 Mar 1989; Newspaper article citing Hackney award to Malu Graham. See image of article .
9. ↑ "Ancestry.com. Florida, Divorce Index, 1927-2001 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.; Original data: Florida Department of Health. Florida Divorce Index, 1927-2001. Jacksonville, FL, USA: Florida Department of Health. Citation Details: Name: Milton John Francis; Gender: Male; Divorce Date: 21 Dec 1979; Divorce Place: Okaloosa, Florida, USA; Certificate Number: 067794
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1} Biographical note on Conference circular; Unitarian-Universalist Conference of the Shoals; October 2010; Florence, Alabama - see image of conference circular with biographical note
11. ↑ Copy of death Certificate; Tennessee Department Of Health; issued 8 Apr 2019; State File Number 2019 018636; Certificate No. 10998488- See Scanned image of Death Certificate