Nellie Winnie Graves

Nellie Winnie Slack Graves was born to William Carter Slack and Lillie Pearl Porch Slack on January 2, 1931, in Wilmot, Arkansas. Her early years in education took place in Wilmot Public Schools, where a high school (Slack-LeGrande) was named after her father. At 13, she moved to Detroit, Michigan, to live with her Aunt Nellie and Uncle Dave. She attended Miller High School. During high school, she met and later married the late Murray Lee Carter, Sr. During their union, three children were born. Throughout their residency in Detroit, the family attended Miles Fellowship Baptist church. The household moved from Detroit into a home they had built in what was initially named Nankin Township. Nellie led a group of activists that advocated for their neighborhood to become part of the city of Westland. Her persistence was successful. Annapolis Park was incorporated into the city of Westland effective May 16, 1966. While living in Westland and attending Smith Chapel A.M.E. church, Nellie visited the Inkster Geriatric Center once a month to give the residents small gifts such as personal hygiene products. She also offered them entertainment, which required her children and their friends or relatives to perform. For the late Dr. Raymond, Nellie became a Dental Assistant in Inkster, Michigan. During her 20 years of service in his practice, Nellie became a certified Dental Assistant and advanced to office manager. She was an active member of the Southwestern Dental Assistant Association, Michigan Dental Assistant Association, American Dental Assistant Association, Wolverine Dental Assistant Association, and the National Dental Assistant Association, where she served in the House of Delegates. She often enjoyed traveling to dental conventions. The Academic Excellence Award given to deserving students in the Michigan Vocational Dental Assistant program was named the “Nellie Graves” award. Nellie transitioned to become a Special Instructor at Crockett Technical High School in the Detroit Public Schools. She studied to become a Registered Parliamentarian. This expertise led to her becoming Director of the Parliamentary Procedures team for Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) at Crockett. In 1972, Nellie moved to Southfield, MI, and married Joseph Graves. She was a People’s Community Church member in Westland and moved with Pastor Hearn to the Christian Faith Ministries of Garden City. Though the second marriage was short-lived, she kept the name Graves and stayed in Southfield for the remainder of her life. Preceding her transition to glory were her parents, her brothers Coolidge, David, William, and Joseph Slack; her sisters Marietta Slack Kimble and Betty Slack; her sons Murray Carter, Jr. and Kelvin Carter. Left to honor her memory are her brother Luther Slack; her daughter Bersheril (Bennie) Bailey; son Gary (Pam) Hawthorne; Granddaughters, Jessica Carter Feil and Shakala Harris; Grandsons Richard Strong, Michael Bailey, Shawn Bailey, Kevin Hawthorne, Jeff Harris, and a host of nieces, nephews, and great-grandchildren. In Honor of Nellie Graves, donation checks can be made out to the Brookdale Southfield Associate Fund and mailed to Brookdale Southfield, 25800 W. Eleven Mile Rd., Southfield, MI 48034 Zoom Instructions 1. Go to Kempfuneralhome.com. 2. Click on your loved one’s photo. You are now on their Tribute Page. 3. You should see a tab labeled photo & videos (or it may be labeled media, depending on your device). Select that tab. 4. Just before the service starts, you will see an icon labeled Webcast (or it may be labeled external video, depending on your device). Select the icon. 5. You will begin to launch into the zoom meeting. 6. Wait for host to let you into the meeting.

Nellie Winnie Graves

January 2, 1931 - August 15, 2022