Obituaries

Jack Grady Monday, 86, died Thursday, November 24, 2022. Born January 6, 1936, he grew up in Clover, York County, South Carolina, and attended Erskine College and Wake Forest University Law School. There he met his love, life and law partner, Frances Helms of Martinsville. Frances was the only woman at Wake Law at the time, and Grady was always thankful that he alone won her heart. Together they served the public as Monday & Monday Attorneys for almost four decades. In the final years of his law career he served extensively as a regional substitute judge, dispensing justice with common sense and candor, and it was commented that he had the ability to blaze across a crowded schedule of cases “faster than Sherman burned through Georgia.” He had many friends in the courthouses, and a great respect for law enforcement officers and first responders.

Grady Monday truly enjoyed living life wonderfully well, and was one of those people who never met a stranger. Whether cornered by him over Hardee’s coffee, at the farmers’ market, in a hotel lobby, or mercilessly trapped on a Caribbean cruise--you were always guaranteed entertaining stories, plenty of compliments, and a genuine smile.

Grady also never met a shrimp he didn’t like. Feared by so-called “all-you-can-eat” dining establishments, and frankly an embarrassment to his family at any wedding reception-- the man could, and would, relentlessly consume his own body weight of them. He was himself, however, a self-confessed abominable cook, a fact confirmed by anyone unlucky enough to be fed by him.

Beginning with high school summers as a lifeguard at Myrtle Beach, Grady always enjoyed the Carolina Coast. He loved beach music, was an accomplished shagger, and insisted with a wicked grin that the Dominoes’ classic Sixty Minute Man was “no question -- absolutely about me.” In retirement he was a founding member of the Old Farts Breakfast Club of Oak Island, North Carolina.

Predeceased by his parents Bert and Lois; sister Jeanette; brothers Chuck, Kenneth, Jerry and Robert; and his beloved wife of 51 years. Mr. Monday is survived by many nieces and nephews and their families, who were a source of great love and pride to him; his only son Eric Helms Monday; his daughter-in-law Monica Taylor Monday; and his dearly adored grandson, Helms Taylor Monday, who insisted on seeing his much-loved “Popop” almost every day-- even after Popop’s driving became terrifying. After half a century of smoking, Grady successfully quit, cold-turkey, simply because his then-toddler grandson asked him to. Also happily surviving is Mr. Monday’s Lincoln Town Car, formerly the unofficial neighborhood patrol of Mulberry Road and now the sleekly restored flagship of Charis Transportation’s airport shuttle service. Mr. Monday’s family is profoundly grateful for the care given to him by Norma Carter and Angela Spencer in his final illness, and especially for the devoted care given by Elaine Scales over the past few years.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Martinsville-Henry County SPCA are much appreciated. Adamantly opposed to “nasty animals in the house” in his younger days, Grady matured into a delighted spoiler of grand-cats and dogs—who loved to nap on top of him, and occasionally steal his dinner, right off the dining table, while he was busy talking.

The family will receive condolences for one hour beginning at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, January 14, 2023, at Starling Avenue Baptist Church, immediately followed by a memorial service at 3:00 p.m., and then a celebration of the life of J. Grady Monday Esq., much-missed raconteur extraordinaire, at the residence of Eric and Monica Monday: full of fond memories, laughter, shrimp of all sorts, a bit of beach music, and hopefully-- some sand in your shoes. Wright Funeral Service & Crematory is serving the family.