Paul Merle Brant Jr.

Paul Merle Brant Jr.

Paul Merle Brant Jr., 68, of Scottsville, Virginia, passed away suddenly on Wednesday, October 13, 2010, at the University of Virginia Medical Center.

Paul was born on June 4, 1942, on the family farm at Brantville in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, to the late Paul M. and Garnet May (Whitlock) Brant Sr.

He graduated from Greenbrier High School in 1960, and went on to receive a Bachelors Degree in Forestry from West Virginia University, a Masters Degree in science from Marshall University and was a Fellow of the Agricultural Policy Institute at North Carolina State University. While he was proudly a native of West Virginia, he lived in Charlottesville, Virginia, from 1995 until 2009. He moved to Scottsville, Virginia, in the late summer of 2009.

Paul passed on many wonderful life lessons, love and memories to his children, friends and family.

Paul is survived by his son Geoffrey Earle Brant and his daughter, Amy Brant Lambert, of Scottsville; two granddaughters, Brittany Ann Cominos and Brant Jae Lambert, also of Scottsville, Virginia; his brother, Alan Edward Brant of Grassy, Missouri; his sister, Linda Kay (Brant) Papa, of Bluefield, West Virginia. He is also survived by his niece, Tracy Marie Brant; and his great-niece, Garnet May Davies of Sydney, Australia; his nephews, Carmen Anthony (Marsie) Papa III and two great-nephews, Braden and Lucas, all of Raleigh, North Carolina; and Shawn Alan (April) Papa, great-niece, Taylor, and great-nephew, Ethan, all of Bluefield, West Virginia; as well as a host of aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by wife, Leslie Ann (Dornblazer) Brant.

Throughout his life, Paul was a faithful member and a humble volunteer for numerous community organizations. Paul was a long time advocate and promoter of local, sustainable food and agriculture, and was currently serving on several community development projects. During his 30+ year career with the USDA/ Soil Conservation Service, Paul assisted small farmers, businesses and community organizations achieve conservation and sustainable development goals, and he was keenly aware of the economic and environmental realities of achieving these goals. It was often stated that Paul was always starting something and getting folks to organize and accomplish things they never knew they wanted or needed; yet, finding themselves wondering what they ever did without them before!

It was Paul's wishes to be cremated.

A celebration of life will be held in Scottsville, Virginia, 5:30 p.m. Friday, November 5, 2010, at 155 Irish Road, with a potluck dinner following the service.

Another celebration will be held 2 p.m. Sunday, November 7, 2010, in Ronceverte, West Virginia, at the Ronceverte Island Park Amphitheater, bring a chair, with a potluck dinner following the services at the Trinity United Methodist Church.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in his honor to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association at www.aadrda.com, to the Izaak Walton League of America at www.iwla.org , to the National League of Women Voters at www.lwv.org or to the National Arbor Day Foundation at www.arborday.org.

Submitted by Longanacre Funeral Home in Fairlea, West Virginia.


This obituary was originally published in the Daily Progress.