Elizabeth Belle Banton Graham, 91, of Idaho Falls, formerly of Rockledge, Florida, passed away Tuesday, February 24, 2026, in her apartment at Parkwood Meadows. In her last days, she was surrounded by family and showered with lots of love. She passed peacefully from this earth just after 7 p.m. and was met with “Well done thou good and faithful servant,” and lots of loving family greetings in Heaven. She was cared for with so much love by the staff at Parkwood Meadows, and at the end, she was under the care of Symbii Home Health and Hospice.

She was born September 1, 1934, to Phillip Rudolph Banton and Bertha Raye Pifer Banton in White Sulpher Springs, West Virginia. She grew up in White Sulpher Springs and graduated from White Sulpher Springs High School. To her family and childhood friends, she was known as “Betty” or “Lizard”. She loved the mountains and the snow and worked hard on their farm, caring for their pigs and chickens and helping with the garden. She was always outside and loved to play sports, especially basketball. She gave her brothers a run for their money at any task. After high school, she attended Concord College and Marshall University. She received her BA degree in education. While in college, she met and married her first husband, Havlyn Kenneth Martin, on April 2, 1956. They had four girls together but divorced in 1961. This left Elizabeth with four girls (under the age of 4) to raise as a single mom. With the fierce determination Liz has always had (and the support of her parents), she earned her teaching degree while raising her 4 girls. She began her teaching journey after moving with her little girls to Florida. She taught full-time from 1963-1972 at Deer Park Elementary at Deseret Ranch, Ross Jeffries Elementary in St. Cloud, and Thacker Avenue Elementary in Kissimmee. She was a substitute teacher at Hans Christensen Andersen Elementary and Kennedy Middle School in Rockledge, Florida, from 1979-1984. She home-schooled her 2 youngest children from 1987-1992 with Wilford Woodruff Academy Charter School. She finished her formal teaching career with Indian River Academy as the Vice Principal from 1992-2010 and was also a private tutor to many for grades K-12 until just a few years ago. She was involved in education, either as a teacher or in administration, for over 50 years. She paved the path for so many students who were struggling to graduate from high school. With her help, they not only graduated from high school but also did so with college credits or even an associate’s degree. Her students were her heart…she loved them all so much, and many stayed in touch with her until her passing.

On March 18, 1972, she married Henry Frank Graham in Kissimmee, Florida. Henry brought four children into the marriage, Elizabeth brought four girls into the marriage, and they added two more children to their family. Henry (and Elizabeth) made the Graham Family of 10 official by adopting her girls, and they were all then sealed for Time and Eternity in the Mesa, Arizona Temple in June 1973. Henry and Elizabeth were quite the ‘opposites attract’ couple, but made an amazing team. They loved and worked hard and supported each other. Their date nights were often a trip to the mall, where Henry could shop and Liz would people-watch (one of the few times she would sit still). After 40 years together, Henry passed away in May 2012.

Elizabeth has lived in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Florida, Colorado, and Idaho. She was raised with a strong Christian faith and became an adult convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1964. She loved the Lord and taught many to have faith in Jesus Christ through her years of selfless service. She served in the Relief Society, Young Women's, and Primary at the ward and stake level, in just about every calling multiple times. She also taught early morning Seminary from 1987-1993. She was a leader and volunteer in Cub Scouts, Little League, school/church sports, and marching band, and any other activity her kids were involved in. Her many interests include sewing, gardening, reading, quilting, Sudoku, sports, animals, children, and family gatherings. She was given the moniker of “St. Elizabeth” by her dearest friends in Florida. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, and friend to all who knew her, especially children. She was independent and never shied away from hard work. She loved to learn, teach, encourage, but especially tease and laugh. Her quick wit was sharp to the very end, throwing out zingers to make you stop and think. To know her was to love her, and to be loved by her was a gift.

She is survived by her daughters: Alicia (Dennis) Berry of Rockledge, Florida, Donna (David) Ewing of Rockledge, Florida, Barbara (Charlie) Wilson-Bullard of Wayne, West Virginia, Cheryl Brandenburg of Jackson, Kentucky, and Emily (Robert) Petty of Rigby, Idaho; her son, Phillip (Jessami) Graham of Walsh, Colorado; her stepdaughters: June Kellagher of Florida, and Nancy (Walter) Braun of Tucker, Georgia; her sister, Karon Webb of Randleman, North Carolina; 29 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great-grandchild.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers: Johnny, Buddy, Gerald, and Ronnie; her husband, her Stepson, Billy, and her grandsons Thomas and Adam.

As much as we will miss having Mom/Gma/GG here with us in Idaho, Liz said she had lived a full life and missed Henry and was ready to go be with her Heavenly Father whenever He called her home. We will now be blessed to have her as our guardian angel, as we continue her legacy of loving family deeply and living with faith, until we meet again.

Elizabeth will be interred next to her husband at Florida Memorial Gardens in Rockledge, Florida. A Celebration of Life will be held on March 15, 2026, in Idaho Falls, Idaho. The memorial will be made available via an internet link for family and friends around the country. Please ask a family member for more details.

The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Humanitarian Fund of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints online at https://philanthropies.churchofjesuschrist.org/humanitarian-services/funds/ or volunteer your time at your local school.

Services are under the direction of Coltrin Mortuary, 2100 First Street, Idaho Falls.