Homegoing Celebration for Mrs. Gertha Rene Grooms Graddy of Tampa, will be held Saturday, January 22, 2011, at 2:00 p.m. at Saint Luke African Methodist Episcopal Church, 2709 N. 25th, St., with Rev. Ronald E. Williams, Pastor, officiating. Interment will be in Rest Haven Memorial Park Cemetery. Mrs. Gertha Rene Grooms Graddy, affectionately called Gert or Miss Gertha by her close family and friends, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday morning, January 18, 2011. She was born in Midway, Alabama and raised in Cuthbert, Georgia to the late Cornelius and Angeline Grooms on February 27, 1927. Mrs. Graddy gave her life to the Lord as a child and was baptized and a member of Pleasant Valley African Methodist Episcopal Church in Cuthbert, GA in 1940. Mrs. Graddy was a graduate of Randolph County High School in Cuthbert, GA. On July 3, 1948, Mrs. Graddy became the bride of the late Mr. William (Stump) Graddy, Sr. In December of 1952, they relocated to Tampa, FL, where Mrs. Graddy joined Saint Luke African Methodist Episcopal Church under the pastorate of the late Reverend W.H.A. Pickett in March 1955. Throughout the fifty-six years as a member of St. Luke A.M.E. Church, Mrs. Graddy has faithfully served in the MISSIONARY SOCIETY, Stewardess Board, the Willing Workers and the Adult Women's Sunday school class. Preceding her in death was her eldest son, the late Mr. William "Flea" Graddy, Jr., her mother and father, the late Mrs. Angeline and Mr. Cornelius Grooms; her sister, the late Mrs. Janie Mae Graddy; her brothers, the late Mr. Kaiser Grooms, Mr. Walter Grooms and Mr. Robert Thomas Grooms; and her husband of sixty years, the late Mr. William Graddy, Sr., who passed away on June 3, 2008. She leaves to celebrate her life are four sons, Mr. Lynwood Bruce Graddy of Tampa, Mr. Solomon Michael Graddy of Tampa; Pastor Marcus Reginald Graddy of Upper Marlboro, MD; Mr. Eddie Leon ("Bubba") Graddy of Tampa; and one daughter, Ms. Stephania R. Graddy-Martino and husband, Terry Martino of Lutz, FL; grandchildren, Ms. Melanie Kastl and husband, Philip ("Ab") of Pomona, CA; Mr. Trenton Graddy, Sr. and wife, Rebecca of Sacramento, CA, Ms. Chimere Graddy, Ms. Kierra Graddy, Mr. Eddie Graddy, Jr., Ms. April Graddy, Ms. Barbara Graddy, Ms. Bonnie Graddy, Ms. Cheral Graddy, Ms. Erica Graddy, Ms. Leona Graddy, Ms. Janet Graddy, Ms. Latifah Graddy, Ms. Lynda Graddy, Ms. Patricia Graddy, all of Tampa; great-grand children, Mr. Trenton Graddy, Jr. and Ms. Maeghan Graddy of Sacramento, CA; Misses Chloe and Madeline Kastl of Pomona, CA; Ms. Jamereia Moore and Keonia Polite of Tampa; one brother, Mr. Willie Williams and wife, Katie of Miami; sisters, Ms. Geneva Johnson and husband, George of Miami; Ms. Leola Walker of Boston, MA; sisters-in-law Ms. Emma Lee Grooms of Tampa; Ms. Dora Grooms of Cuthbert, GA; nieces, Ms. Louise Holder and husband, Ben of Tampa, Ms. Deborah (Cocoa) Johnson-Spain and husband Jimmy of Miami; Ms. Joyce Bailey and husband, Larry; Ms. Mae Turner, Ms. Linda Henderson, Ms. Jennifer Collins and husband, Jesse; Ms. Angeline Walker, all of Boston, MA; Ms. Angeline ("Tricia") Grooms of Stone Mountain, GA; and Ms. Dorothy ("Tiny") Seymore and husband, Wayne of Atlanta, GA; Ms. Lorraine Goulbourne and husband Junior of Miami; Ms. Daizell Harris and husband, Joseph; Ms. Louise Rivers; Ms. Eva Mae Graddy, Ms. Brenda Graddy, Ms. Debra Graddy, Ms. Wallene ("Sissy"); all of Tampa; Ms. Doris Knighten of Syracuse, NY and Ms. Gertha Heart of Port Reading, NJ; Ms. Linda Graddy and Ms. Louise Graddy of GA; nephews, Mr. Alvin Williams, Ms. Willie Williams, Jr., Mr. Walter Williams, Mr. Marvin Williams, all of Miami; Mr. Arthur Grooms, Mr. Clifford Grooms, all of Tampa; Mr. Alexander Grooms, Mr. Ronald Grooms; all of Cuthbert, GA; Mr. Leroy Grooms of Little Rock, AK; and Pastor Benjamin Grooms of Atlanta, GA; Mr. Derrick ("Papa") Graddy of Tampa; Mr. Walter "Tank" Graddy of GA; god-children, Ms. Jeraldine Williams-Shaw, Ms. Nadine Williams-Brown, Mr. Lesley Miller, Mr. Aaron Stillings, Ms. Lucille James and Ms. Gabrielle Ashe; and friends, Ms. Esther Greene, Mrs. Curtiss Wilson, Mr. and Mrs. Ezekiel and Shirley Thomas, Mr. Charles Mack, and a host of other relatives and friends. The viewing will be held at Aikens Funeral Home on Friday from 5-8 p.m. The family will receive friends from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Family and friends are asked to meet at the church at 1:45 for the service on Saturday.