The Unravelings

Evangeline Marie Graham-Roberts transitioned from this life on Thursday, June 27th 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. Evangeline was affectionately known by family, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances as “Marie.” She was born in Baltimore, Maryland on January 1st, 1948. Marie was the beloved fourth daughter of Gladys Graham and Frederick Graham.

The Graham Family, starting with Evangeline’s mother Gladys, and her father Frederick, have been members of Metropolitan United Methodist Church since the 1930s. Marie grew up in Metropolitan, actively being involved in the choir and various youth ministries. She maintained her connection to Metropolitan throughout her life, forming lasting friendships with Pinkney and Yvonne Garner, Donnell and Vinton Moore, Florence Barber, Eleanor Brown, and Stephanie Pettaway among many others.

She spent her youth and early adult life as a Baltimore City resident, specifically in the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood, at 1927 West Lanvale Street. Marie’s elementary school education took place at James Mosher School, No. 144, following which time she attended William Lemmel Junior High School. Across her time at James Mosher and Lemmel, she received multiple honors and awards of recognition for scholastic achievement, high marks in the arts and music, with specific acknowledgment for her “attainment in music” by means of playing the piano.

Marie would go on to attend high school at Edmondson-Westside High School (Class of 1966), which at the time of her attendance had not been in existence for even ten years. As part of that early cohort of students to attend Edmondson, she excelled in her studies. Not having the financial ability to afford college on her own, Evangeline gained admittance to a program specifically for young black high school students interested in pursing careers as K-8 educators in Baltimore City. It was due to this program, and its funding of her education, that she was able to attend Morgan State College in 1966. She was a commuter student throughout her time at Morgan, and through dogged perseverance and resilience in the face of adversity, she continued to be both a strong student and strong student leader. While at Morgan, she pledged Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated, Beta Tau Chapter. Marie served as an executive board member of the organization during her collegiate years with one of her best friends, Myra Curtis. Another person from Morgan State that would become a lifelong friend of Marie’s is Estella Gambrill. She would remain connected to Sigma Gamma Rho, Myra, and Estella throughout her life in myriad ways.

In 1970, she would graduate from Morgan State College (now Morgan State University) with a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education. Upon graduation, Evangeline began teaching in Baltimore City public schools. Simultaneous to beginning her career as an educator, she worked toward her master’s degree part time, attending school in the evenings at Morgan State. After years and years of teaching during the day, and going to class at night, while continuing to support her family financially when at all possible, she attained her Master of Science Degree in Elementary Education.

Shortly after completing her education, and getting underway with her teaching career in the early 1980s, she would get married to Gregory Roberts (agreeably divorced years later) and work toward starting a family. And indeed on January 23rd, 1988, Marie would give birth to a son, her only child, Christopher “Chris” G. Roberts. From birth, Marie and Christopher were inseparable. Everywhere she went, he would be not too far behind. Chris would marry Mikana Scott, who became just like a daughter to Marie, and Mikana, along with her family, fondly embraced Marie as a member of their family in both the Cayman Islands and Jamaica. As a working mother, and later in life a working single parent, Chris often accompanied Marie to PTA meetings, after-school programs, the school store, summer lunch programs, and on most errands she had to run day in and day out. Among her fondest memories of Chris’ childhood are sitting outside watching his Little League Baseball and Basketball games in the Cloverdale Summer Basketball League and the The Edmondson Westview Recreation Council (EDRECO) respectively. This dedication as a mother would continue throughout the remainder of her life, as she reveled in letting anyone she met know how proud she was of her son, as his achievements were hers, and hers were his.

Speaking of her achievements; a lifelong educator, Marie taught in Baltimore City Public Schools for 31 years (1970-2001) and was a Chapter One Reading Teacher. Among the schools Mrs. Graham-Roberts worked as a teacher are Rognel Heights Elementary/Middle, Dr. Bernard Harris Sr. Elementary, and Calvin Rodwell Elementary/Middle. She also served as a Field Monitor, and then a Supervisor for the Summer Lunch Program run out of the Mayor’s Office of Manpower Resources for 26 years (1972-1998). During one of her years as a teacher, she had an article published on an activity her class did on the Patchwork Quilts created by the slaves during their escape to freedom. In the course of her tenure at Bernard Harris, one year in the 1980s she was voted “Teacher of the Year.” In 1998, she received a “Teacher Appreciation Award” from the Parent Teacher Association “PTA” at Calvin Rodwell. In addition to these professional accomplishments, Marie bought a house in Baltimore County at 5 Randolph Springs Court; a house that she transformed into a home wherein she poured incomparable amounts of care and love.

In terms not of the teacher or mother Marie, but the person Marie, among her interests and joys in life were Sports (she loved her Orioles, Bears, Terps, and Ravens), Theater, Soap Operas, Classic Movies, Travel, Reading, Working with and helping others, Sewing and Gardening. In her words, the aforementioned are “a few of the things that interest me.” Marie leaves to cherish her memory: one child, Christopher Roberts; ten nieces and nephews, Frederick Graham III, Clayton Graham, Lloyd “Big Chip” Graham II, Lloyd “Little Chip” Graham III, Tyraye Graham, Stacey Mason, Sage Mason, Taylor Graham, Davon Gardener, David Mason (late); two siblings: Lloyd “Brick” Graham, Frederick “Junior” Graham II, and a host of in-laws, great nieces, great nephews, extended family, fictive kin, and many many others touched by the warmth of her light.