George Clifford Grant

George Clifford Grant, Ph.D. age 75, professor emeritus, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William & Mary, died at Riverside Regional Medical Center April 2, 2005. Dr. Grant is survived by his wife of 53 years, Eileen Margaret O'Connor Grant; a son, George Charles Grant; a daughter, Shelley Grant Damion; a sister, Beatrice Cotton; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Dr Grant grew up in Malden, Massachusetts. After high school he volunteered for the U.S. Army and served four years with the First Army Band in Governor's Island, New York. He attended the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Mass. on the GI Bill, receiving a B.S. degree in 1956. He then worked for the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service studying juvenile menhaden in Delaware Bay. In 1960, he moved to Gloucester Point, Virginia to attend the College of William & Mary graduate program in marine biology at the then Virginia Fisheries Laboratory. He earned his master of arts in marine science from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), School of Marine Science, College of William & Mary in 1962. After William & Mary he attended the University of Rhode Island where he earned a Ph.D. degree in oceanography in 1967. He then returned to Gloucester Point to continue what became a life long connection with VIMS and the College of William & Mary culminating in an appointment as an emeritus professor of marine science in 1992. He also held faculty appointments in marine science with the University of Virginia, 1968 to 1977. Dr. Grant made major contributions to the understanding of the fisheries resources of Virginia, the Chesapeake Bay and the coastal waters of the mid-Atlantic region. His early studies helped define the major nursery areas and food sources for juvenile striped bass and other commercially, recreationally and ecologically important fishery resources in Virginia. His primary scientific interest was zooplankton, especially the phylum chaetognatha. This interest in zooplankton was passed on to his students, many of who have also gone on to make major contributions to our understanding of oceanic and estuarine zooplankton. During his tenure at VIMS, Dr. Grant served four years as an assistant director and head of the Division of Biological Oceanography. His interest in chaetognaths led him to take the lead role in developing an international bibliography of the Chaetognatha that is now housed in the VIMS library. Many of the students at VIMS remember Dr. Grant for his teaching of a scientific writing course which helped many of them during the writing of their theses and dissertations. After his retirement Dr. Grant continued to be active with VIMS and the College of William & Mary. For several years he worked with foreign graduate students to improve their written language skills. He was a charter member of the VIMS Annual Fund Committee and was also very active in the William & Mary Alumni Society, serving as the president of the Botetourt Chapter from 1997-1999. In 2002 Dr. Grant was awarded the prestigious Alumni Service Award by the William & Mary Alumni Society. Dr Grant also used his retirement years to start an antiques business, with which he could indulge his love of porcelain. He also used his retirement years to pursue his favorite pastimes of black jack and horseracing. He was particularly happy to see Virginia get pari-mutuel betting which allowed him to enjoy that hobby without having to leave the area. Dr. Grant took a strong interest in local affairs, serving for many years on the Gloucester Library Board and conducting budget research for his wife Eileen during her term on the Gloucester Board of Supervisors. A memorial service will be conducted by the Reverend Leo J. Guarnieri at 10 a.m., Saturday, April 9, 2005 at St. Therese Catholic Church, Main Street, Gloucester. Interment will be private. A rosary service will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, April 8 at Hogg Funeral Home, 3098 George Washington Memorial Highway, Gloucester Point. The family will receive friends following the service. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial contributions may be made to the William J. Hargis Jr. Library Fund, c/o VIMS, P.O. Box 1346, Gloucester Point, Va. 23062; the Gloucester Mathews Free Clinic, P.O. Box 943, Hayes, Va. 23072; or the Gloucester-Mathews Humane Society, P.O. Box 385, Gloucester, Va. 23061.