W. Arthur Grant

1929 - 2019

CONCORD, NH - W. Arthur Grant, a longtime employee of the University System of New Hampshire, died here August 2, 2019.

He was born in Claremont, NH, Nov 30, 1929, the son of Jennie Mae (MacDonald) and George W.G. Grant. He grew up in Newport, graduating from Towle High School in 1947 and from the University of New Hampshire in 1951.

He served in the US Air Force (1951-53) during the Korean War, in the Air Force Reserve and then in the Air National Guard, retiring in 1979 as a lieutenant Colonel with 28 years' service. His military decorations include the Meritorious Service medal.

He married Lovertia Anne (Dee) Chase of Haverhill, MA Dec. 24, 1951. The couple initially lived in Dayton, OH but settled in Bennington, VT in 1953 where they raised their four children while Mr. Grant was a reporter and editor on newspapers in Bennington and Springfield, MA.

In 1963, the family moved to Durham, NH, when Mr. Grant joined the University of New Hampshire public relations staff. In subsequent years he served as assistant to two UNH presidents and, in 1975, was appointed Secretary of the University System to work with the chancellor and the USNH board of trustees. He retired in November 1999, having served UNH and USNH for 36 years.

Mr. Grant was active in various professional organizations, served 10 years as a Durham Town Councilor, and was a 20-year member of the First Parish Church in Dover and later the Newington Town Church. He became a trustee of the East Congregational Church in Concord in 2016.

The Grants moved to Havenwood Heritage Heights retirement community in Concord in January 2009 and both were active members of the community. Mr. Grant's wife, Lovertia (Dee), died in the Havenwood Health Center on July 1, 2015.

Mr. Grant leaves a daughter, Rebecca, and her husband David McCutcheon, in Victoria, BC, Canada; daughter Jeanne and her husband Christopher Crocker, in Brunswick, ME; daughter Jennifer in Staunton, VA; daughter-in-law Cindy Grant in Staunton, VA; five grandchildren: Virginia Grant Crocker Golden and husband Andrew Golden in Falmouth, ME; Sam Crocker and wife Annabel Lee in London, UK; Colleen McCutcheon in London, UK; Dylan Grant and wife Lindsay in Williamsburg, VA and Bennington Grant in Staunton, VA; a great-grandson, Archer Grant Golden and two great-granddaughters, Elara and Cassidy Golden. The Grants' son, William A. Grant Jr., died in March 2016.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, at Havenwood. A private burial service will be held in the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen.

The family extends its thanks to Karen Ducharme, APRN, Ryan van Hoff, MD, and the nursing staff at Concord Hospital.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Libby's Haven for Senior Canines, PO Box 65, Canterbury NH 03224.