Mr. John T. Grant Sr., 98, of Rockingham, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023 at Cape Fear Valley Hoke Hospital in Raeford.
He was born May 3, 1925, in Richmond County, son of the late A.W. and Betty Dawkins Grant.
John was drafted in the United States Navy on Aug. 14, 1943, at the age of 18, and served aboard the USS Mertz DD-691 during World War II, never seeing land for 23 months. By the time he returned home, his daughter he had not seen yet, was 2 years old. One of his favorite things to do was tell all the things he had seen during the war. If you asked him a question, he would go on for hours talking.
John always spoke his mind and you never had to wonder what he thought of how he felt on anything. He had no problem telling you good or bad, like it or not. His mind was sharp and he loved to pick until the last few days of his life. In his later years, he looked forward to every morning having his biscuit with sausage gravy, and in the evening, a chocolate milkshake.
After returning home from the war, he went to work in textiles, then he moved his family to Illinois. He worked in the plastic industry until he and his wife retired and moved back to Rockingham, which he always considered as home. John loved his life and said he didn’t plan on leaving this earth until he was “old,” maybe 104.
John was preceded in death by the love of his life after 62 years of marriage, Margaret Paul Grant; sons, John Thomas Grant Jr. and Tony Grant; daughter, Betty Grant Patrick; grandson, Tim Grant; great-grandson, Little John Grant; brothers, Joe, Jimmy, Fairley and Sam Grant; and sisters, Elsie Evans Wilcox and Minnie Lou Barber.
John is survived by his brother, Nathan K. Grant of Rockingham; six grandchildren, Margaret Janecke, Patti Flowers, Charles Grant and Scott Grant, all of Illinois, Jimmy Patrick of Tennessee, and Selena Grant of Ohio; 12 great-grandchildren and six great-great grandchildren; niece and caregiver who lived with him, Paula Allred of Rockingham; his special friends, Robin Wallace, Carl Poston, and his nephew, Richard Barber, who also helped with his care; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial services will be on Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023 at 2 p.m. in the chapel of Harrington Funeral Home, Hamlet. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service, beginning at 1 p.m. at the funeral home.
The burial will be Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 at 11 a.m. at Richmond County Memorial Park.
Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; or ACPA, American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association, PO Box 63193, Charlotte, NC 28263-3193.
Harrington Funeral Home & Crematory is serving the Grant family.
Online condolences may be made at harringtonfuneralhome.com.
