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Joseph Simeon Grant Jr.

Joseph Grant Obituary

GRANT Joseph Simeon Grant Jr., LLD, was born on April 5, 1931 at Grady Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. He was the first born of Reverend Joseph S. Grant Sr. and Josephine Jenkins Grant. As a little boy in Georgia, Joseph Jr. had chickens that he cared for. He loved taking care of these chickens so much that he wanted to be a chicken farmer when he grew up. His family lived in Georgia until they witnessed a little boy, who lived across the street, being forced by members of the Klu Klux Klan to dig a hole and climb into it. These Klansmen then refilled the dirt up to the little boy's chin, poured pigs blood over his head and let dogs loose to maul him. At that time, Rev. Grant was president of the NAACP in that area and, upon learning that his family was in danger, moved them from the state of Georgia to Anacostia, Maryland. Joseph attended public schools in the D.C. area, including Brown Junior High and Dunbar Senior High School. While at Dunbar, his love of music was honed. He sang and played the trumpet, earning the position of first chair in the Washington D.C. Junior Symphony. It was during his junior year at Dunbar, that he saw Jean Gibbs Terry, in an ROTC uniform and penny loafers, and immediately fell in love. He went home and sang to his mother, "Love Somebody." She asked her name and he sang, "love somebody, but I don't know who." After graduating from Dunbar, Joseph attended Howard University, where he crossed the burning sands to become an Alpha Phi Alpha man. It was during one of their functions with the ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha, that he finally met the girl from Dunbar and learned her name. In 1953, he left Howard and joined 299 young men on a train to upstate New York to take the entrance test for the United States Air Force pilot program. He passed with flying colors, making the highest score that anyone had ever made prior. He entered the training program in April 1954 and graduated in S class on August 1, 1955. On October 22, 1955, he and Jean married and by Thanksgiving, he was in Japan. After his tour of duty, he was assigned to Personnel at Wright Patterson AFB. He left Wright Patterson in the early sixties and was assigned to Andrews AFB. From there, in 1962, he was sent to Vietnam as part of a small group of USAF pilots who served as combat support for the South Vietnamese Air Force. They were there at the invitation of the South Vietnam government. The USAF screened thousands of Air Force pilots and selected Captain Joseph Grant, a senior pilot, and 29 other pilots to form an elite flying group called "The Dirty Thirty." For his work in Vietnam, he was awarded VNAF silver star wings by Commander Huyah Huu Hien. After leaving Vietnam, he applied to fly Air Force One. After testing, he came in second and was asked to pilot an African president, Patrice Lamumba, who was assassinated before Joseph could make a decision. Subsequently, Joseph became a test instructor pilot for the Blue Angels. He was the first black Air Force pilot to have his picture displayed in the USAF Museum at Wright Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio. After Joseph left the Air Force, he served for a while as president of Davis Grant Agency. From there, he was asked by Earl Woods, whom he met in Vietnam, to serve as executive director of The Tiger Woods Foundation. He was approved by the Board of Directors and set to work finding an office. He selected a site for the office on Slate Ridge Boulevard in Reynoldsburg, Ohio and served in that position until his health forced him to accept the position of manager of charitable funds within the foundation. He and Woodie remained fierce friends from the days of Vietnam until December 18, 2005. It was that date that Joseph departed this earth. He died peacefully in his sleep at Mt. Carmel Hospital West. He was preceded in death by his parents Rev. and Mrs. Joseph Grant Sr., his son Terry Von-Eric Grant, his brother Johnnie, sister Annette McDuffie, and sister-in-law Dolores (Fuller) Grant. He leaves behind his beloved wife of 50 years, Jean; his beautiful daughter, Ericka Jeannine Grant; his brother, Ulysses S. Grant of Shaker Heights, Ohio; sisters, Mary Jean Gray and Betty Makell (John III) of Maryland; sister-in-law, Zola Terry Owens; and brother-in-law, Col. Walter R. Owens (Ret) of Colorado Springs, Colorado; daughter-in-law, Sharon A. Grant; and grandchildren, Alexandria Nicole and Gabrielle Lorraine Grant of Grand Prairie, Texas. He also leaves a host of family members in Birmingham, Alabama; Atlanta, Georgia; Maryland; New York; Elkton, Nevada; and Seattle, Washington. Joseph was a member of First Baptist Church, Columbus, Ohio and a life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and the American Legion. Several years ago, he served as 3rd commander of Bexley Post 430. He was a brilliant problem solver, a distinguished, true pillar of a man, father, and husband, who set the stage for kindness and generosity. A memorial service will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, January 21, 2006 at Walnut Heights Baptist Church, 1660 Lattimer Avenue. Pastor Paul Large, First Baptist Church, will officiate. Arrangements entrusted to DIEHL-WHITTAKER FUNERAL SERVICE, 720 E. Long Street, Columbus, Ohio 43203. In lieu of flowers, please give a flock of chickens in memory of Joseph's childhood desire to be a chicken farmer. Each $20 donation will provide a starter flock of chicks for many hungry families in Third World countries. Please contact Heifer International by telephone, (800)422-0474, online at www.heifer.org, of by fax, (501)907-2902.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Columbus Dispatch on Jan. 15, 2006.

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Arnett Howard

January 26, 2006

Mr. Grant has always been a part of my life, even though I never met him. Reading his obit makes me want to thank all of the African American people who kept their heads high during the struggle and gave their best to make this country. I hope my donation through Heifer International will make an impact on a future generation.

God has blessed Joseph S. Grant, Jr. with a wonderful legacy.

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