Ralph Gordon Grant

Ralph Gordon Grant was born in West Monroe, LA on January 27, 1916, to parents Reuben Oliver and Helen Charlotte McKenzie Grant, proudly Scottish on both sides of his family. He passed away at age 90 on June 12, 2006 at Presbyterian Home in Quitman, GA. He and his older brother, RO Jr., grew up in Wichita Falls, TX. He graduated from Texas A&M University which was all male and all military at the time in 1937 with a degree in mechanical engineering. He trained on cavalry horses the first years of college. He had three roommates, and the four bought a Model T Ford together for $5. He was known as ?Lefty? and was very active in sports. After graduation, he and two fellow Aggies contributed to GE?s success in PA and NY. He also helped electrify Hoover Dam. In 1939 he joined Mississippi Power & Light Co. as a power sales engineer. He helped many a farm and factory throughout north MS convert to electrical power. He met and married Peggy Wiggins of Cleveland, MS. He was called to active duty in the Army in WWII. He served on the island of Tinian in the Pacific theater. After the war, he moved his family to Texas, California, and Louisiana as he worked for Lane-Wells Company, an oil well service company. In 1960 he changed careers to the securities business, where he specialized in employee incentive and trust programs. This gave him the opportunity to continue to work into his 70?s from an office in his home. He loved golf and was an avid duplicate bridge player, achieving Life Master status. He was a dedicated and active Republican. He was a loyal member of Rotary International and never missed a meeting for 50 years wherever he lived or visited. He liked to say that he became a Methodist for his wife he was reared a Baptist and she became a Republican for him. He was active in the Methodist church for over 60 years and was a member of the Sue McTier Sunday School Class at First United Methodist Church in Thomasville. He and Peggy have two daughters, Peggy Grant Tyson and Beth Wiggins Grant. He was a faithful and devoted husband and father, and he helped support his mother-in-law and sisters-in-law in early years of his marriage. He helped care for his wife through the 14 years of her Alzheimer?s disease. They were married for 63 years. They and his brother moved to Thomasville in 1996, where they lived with and were cared for by daughter Peggy and son-in-law Jim. In the last two years he lived at Southern Pines Retirement Inn and Presbyterian Home. The family would like to express special thanks to the staffs of both facilities, especially Lorene Drew and Rosa Pendleton. He is preceded in death by his parents, wife, and brother and survived by both daughters, his son-in-law, Jim Tyson, grandson Brian Jason Haythorn, his sisters-and brothers-in-law, Anne Dismuke of Centerville, Ohio, Betty and Clatie Powell of Millersville, Maryland, Rob and Sue Wiggins of Abilene, Texas and James Wiggins of Cleveland, Mississippi. His favorite cousin, Coleen Grant Hardin of Austin, Texas, has recently published a Grant clan family history. The funeral will be at the chapel of First United Methodist Church on Friday, June 16 at 11:00AM with Rev. Burns Willis presiding. Burial will be a Laurel Hill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations to Vashti Center are requested. Visitors may sign the online guest register at www.allenfh.com .
ALLEN & ALLEN FUNERAL HOME