Cortney Renea Graf Lewis
May 13, 1991 – October 25, 2026
Cortney Renae Graf Lewis, 35, of Calera, Alabama, passed away on October 25, 2026.
Born in Birmingham, Alabama, on May 13, 1991, to Edward William Graf and Alycia Margaret Brown Lee Graf, Cortney was a beloved daughter, mother, baby sister, aunt, niece, cousin and friend. Thirty-five years could never be enough for those who loved her. There were still holidays to share, laughter to hear, and ordinary moments that would have meant everything.
To know Cortney was to know someone who could be goofy and tender, feisty and softhearted, all in the same breath. She had a playful spirit, a trusting heart, and a way of bringing laughter into the lives of those around her. Obviously beautiful in appearance, she was equally worthy of being seen for the beauty within her – the sweetness, vulnerability, and love that her family will always remember.
Cortney loved her children, her daddy, her sisters and all the people who made up her wonderfully large family. She loved cats and dogs, and she especially loved Gunner, a family pit bull she proudly claimed as her own.
For her family, some of the most treasured memories will be of Cortney coming home for the holidays. Wherever life had taken her, she made her way back for the special days. Her presence was part of what made those days special: another familiar voice, another laugh, another beloved face around the table. Now those gatherings hold a precious reminder to notice the gift of one another – to recognize, while we can, how much it means simply to have someone there.
Cortney served in the Army National Guard making it to the rank of Private First class from June to august of 2009. Her service is acknowledged and appreciated.
Cortney’s work included serving as a receptionist at Pure Faith Salon, with her niece/sister/friend, and working alongside her father as a welding apprentice for A&E Iron.
Cortney was preceded in death by her beloved mother, Alycia Margaret Brown Lee Graf; her son, Braiden Gage Lawley; her paternal grandparents, Oscar and Grace Graf; her maternal grandparents, Lawrence and Helen Brown; and her nephew, Noah Allen Smith. She was also preceded in death by her maternal aunts and uncles, Irene, Buddy, CeCe, Chris, Helen, and John; her paternal aunts, Nancy and Fran; and her cousins, Nancy Lynn, Nicholas, Loriann, and Kadin.
Her family finds comfort in imagining the welcome awaiting her in Heaven: her mother’s embrace, her son held close, and a reunion with so many loved ones whose absence she had known here.
Left to cherish her memory are her father, Edward William Graf, her beautiful children Brendan Lewis and Vanessa Lewis, and her sweet, little Olly and Clair.
Her memory will be honored and treasured always by her sisters, Melanie Smith (Lee), Patti Simpson (Scott), Jessica Graf, and Alyssa Graf.
She is also lovingly remembered by her nieces and nephews, many of whom were more like siblings: Erica Drake (George), Tori Parmer, Jasmine Davis (Jordan), Drew Phillips (Becca), Jacob Smith (Bethany), Gavin Peavy (Jade), Madison Simpson, Izzi Simpson, Wes Simpson, Maggie Shupe, Ryleigh Smith, Logan Marquess, CJ Green, Gracie Green, Noah Graf, and Isaiah Graf, along with her cherished great-nieces and great-nephews.
She will be missed by her surviving aunts and uncles: Mary, Stan, Larry, Jenny, Margie, Martha, and Baby.
With both parents coming from large families, the circle of cousins extends beyond what these words can fully name. Each one belongs to her story. Each one matters. To try to name the friends who loved her is also a blessed impossibility, as she was loved by so many. They, too, belong and matter.
A special place of honor is held by Cortney’s cherished friend, Chelsea, whose life became forever intertwined with hers through the love of their children. Their friendship grew into a bond beyond words—one that helped make a family and will live on. Chelsea holds a unique place in Cortney’s story and in the hearts of those who love her.
The family asks that you remember Cortney in the moments when she was laughing, being goofy, loving her children, standing beside her daddy, or walking through the door to join the celebration. Speak her name. Tell her stories. Let her children hear the memories that will help them know their mother through the eyes of those who loved her.
Cortney’s family holds on to the promise of a reunion in Heaven, where they will gather everyone close again. Until that time, they each wish to live a life big enough for Cortney too. A little “And this is for you, Corts!” in everything they do.
When Cortney was a child, her sisters dedicated a song to her, “I Hope You Dance” by Lee Ann Womack – an appropriate dedication to her, from sisters who loved her dearly. Those words became something they shared – a hope that Cortney would experience the wonder of being alive, find joy, and know how much beauty the world held.
That wish remains part of the love surrounding her now. Her family holds close the hope that, in God’s care, she knows peace beyond every earthly sorrow, feels the fullness of the love that has always been hers, and . . . “our dearest Cortney, we hope you dance!”
Private Visitation is Thursday, November 5, 2026, beginning at 9:00 a.m. at Charter Funeral Home in Calera, Alabama.
Funeral services will begin at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, November 6, 2026, at Charter Funeral Home in Calera, Alabama. A procession will follow to Jefferson Memorial Gardens on John Hawkins Parkway in Hoover, Alabama, where a graveside service is planned for 1:00 p.m.
Flowers may be sent to Charter Funeral Home. Those wishing to honor Cortney’s memory through a memorial contribution may give to The Lovelady Center in Birmingham, Alabama.