Obituary: Julia Graham

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Julia Graham, 98, June 17 in Dallas. She and her high-school sweetheart Henry Hagood independently surrendered to mission service in the Middle East during the same chapel sermon at Baylor University. They graduated in 1938 and served several churches while attending seminary. World War II delayed their plans, but in 1945, they arrived in the Middle East. Shortly after their first Christmas there, however, he became sick and died, leaving her with a young son. Julia GrahamShe stayed, began further language study, and met Finlay Graham, a former RAF navigator and missionary from Scotland whom she later married. They became the first Southern Baptist missionaries to work in Lebanon, where they served 28 years and founded the Beirut Baptist School. They also established the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary, which trains students from across the Middle East and North Africa. They also served in Cyprus from 1977 until retirement in 1987. After teaching stints at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, they moved to Dallas, and she continued to teach Sunday school at Wilshire Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband Henry Hagood in 1946 and her second husband Finlay Graham in 2000. She also was preceded in death by her son, Jim Hagood. She is survived by her daughters, Catherine Kelly, Rose Mary Cavazos, Christine Brashears and Sheila Smith; grandchildren; and great grandchildren. Services will be at 2 p.m. July 3 at Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas.


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