Pearl Elaine Grant

Pearl Elaine (née Dunville) Grant was born 28 January 1937 in the village of Cape Wolfe on Canada’s smallest province (Prince Edward Island) to Earnest and Eva ( née Cooke) Dunville and was the youngest of three children. Pearl grew up on the Island and when her father passed, she and her mother emigrated to the US. At 14, she became a naturalized citizen and lived in Massachusetts and in 1956, she met Scott Grant at a local church outing and they married on June 11, 1960. They set up their first home in New Canaan, CT and their first child, Linda was born in 1961. After Scott enlisted and was promptly sent to Korea, Pearl and Linda returned to Massachusetts. In 1962, their son, Scott Wade, was born. Pearl and her husband decided to remain a military family and they were then stationed in Georgia, New Jersey and, in 1964, to Germany. In 1966, they welcomed their third child, Bryon and Pearl was devoted wife and mother. In addition to the family’s extensive traveling enjoying especially the Netherlands, Holland as well as Belgium, Italy, Luxemburg, Austria, Switzerland and a long camping trip in Spain. In 1968, they returned to America with her husband, Scott, heading to Vietnam. Upon his return, they moved to New Jersey and Pearl continued the faithful volunteer work that she began while in Germany and she was quite active in the Girl Scouts from being troop leader to Neighborhood Chairman as well as an avid quilter with membership in several quilting groups. The family then moved to Ft. Hood in Killeen, TX where Pearl became active in Girl Scouts again. She ran the summer camp facility where she earned the nickname, “The Rattlesnake Lady” in that during clearing areas for tents, she spotted several rattlesnake dens. Pearl and the family then moved to New York and as one of her many hobbies, along with working for the regional transit authority, she began raising and breeding Manx cats with her registered cattery, Granx-Manx. In 1976, they were to return to Germany and the family again continued to enjoy extensive traveling. In 1980, the family came back to America to be posted in Oklahoma where Pearl and Scott until 1991. While living in Oklahoma, Pearl completed her college coursework for an Associate’s degree in Oil/Gas Administration and worked for several oil companies. She also passed the real estate licensing exam and worked as an agent for several years. Her son, Bryon, had started a memorabilia business of Star Wars and Star Trek collectables and Pearl and her husband soon took over after Bryon moved away and continued to attend many Sci-Fi conventions where she was able to get to know every Star Trek cast member and even received personal invitations to their homes. In 1991, Scott transferred to work in Alabama and Pearl and he purchased a 20-acre farm. Always one to stay active, Pearl raised irises, gardened, learned stained glass, picture framing, Lapidary, woodwork, sewing and embroidery. They embarked on another adventure by establishing a corporation that coordinated with government contracting to negotiate contracts and provided highly technical support to the national Missile Defense Programs and NASA. Traveling still was a priority and trips to South America, all over North and Central America were frequent with a favorite destination being the Bahamas. No matter where life and the military placed Pearl and her family, she was always active member of the church where they lived. At the Hazel Green United Methodist Church, Pearl started a senior group, the Joy Travelers, in which she led the group at monthly meals and memorable outings. A life well lived and love well shared, Pearl will be missed by all whose lives she blessed and her legacy of enjoying each moment to the fullest will be treasured by her family. Those left to cherish her memory are her husband, Scott Grant, of Forney; children: Linda Alaniz and husband, Roman, Scott Wade Grant and wife, Laura, Bryon Grant and wife, Joanne; several grandchildren; extended family and friends from all over the world. A Celebration of Pearl’s life will be held at 3:00pm, Tuesday, April 26, 2016 at Three Forks of Forney, 335 S. FM 548, Forney, TX 75126. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to the Alzheimer’s association at www.alz.org.

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Pearl Elaine Grant

January 28, 1937 - April 19, 2016