Grand Homer Le Jr.

Homer Eugene Le Grand, Jr., Ph.D. SHELBY - Homer Eugene Le Grand, Jr., professor emeritus Monash University, died on January 16, 2017, in Melbourne, Australia, at the age of 72. Homer died peacefully surrounded by his 3 children Christine, Chip and Alex as he held the hand of his wife and love of his life of 50 years, Brenda Lefler Le Grand. Homer grew up in Shelby and was a product of the Shelby public school system. He went to UNC-Chapel Hill as a Morehead scholar and graduated with degrees in Chemistry and History. At the University of Wisconsin he completed his Ph.D. in the history of science. With 3 small children in tow, in 1975 Homer and Brenda left Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA for Melbourne, Australia on a one year sabbatical. They stayed for a lifetime. Homer held several academic roles but the two most impactful that he held for several years each were as Dean of Arts, University of Melbourne and Dean of Arts, Monash University. He could easily be picked out on campus in his classic 1967 Carolina Blue Mustang convertible. He was a well published, gifted researcher, a respected scholar, a popular teacher and a lifelong educator and student. He may have lived on the other side of the world but when asked where was his home, he without fail answered, Shelby. Homer is pre-deceased by his parents, Emma Jo Beam Le Grand and Homer E. Le Grand, Sr. He is survived by his wife Brenda Lefler Le Grand (fondly known as Saint Brenda by Homer's two sisters), 3 children, Christine Le Grand Lehman of Santa Fe, NM, Homer Eugene Le Grand, V (Chip) of Melbourne, Australia and Alexander Benton Le Grand, MD, of Bozeman, Montana. Homer was inordinately proud of his accomplished, brilliant children and his 8 gifted grandchildren. He is also survived by his siblings; Beth Le Grand Tull of Waxhaw, NC, Anne Bryce Le Grand of Seattle, and Bryan Fain Le Grand of Shelby. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donation for the Homer Le Grand Student Assistance Scholarship for deserving students at Monash University, Melbourne Australia. The donation site is: https://community.monash.edu.au/homer-legrand.