Sept. 4, 1929 – June 3, 2015
Donald Lewis Grant, 85, formerly of Sweet Home, died June 3, 2015 at the Mennonite Home in Albany.
He was born Sept. 4, 1929 in Binghamton, N.Y. to Franklin Lee and Jennie Delia (Baker) Grant.
He grew up in the Binghamton area until moving to Oakland, Calif. It was there that he began his passion for baseball.
He played Little League and Babe Ruth baseball and was a member of the World Champion Babe Ruth team from Oakland in 1944. He signed a letter of intent with a professional team when he was 17 . While attending Technical High School in Oakland, he would finish his team practice and then throw batting practice for the minor league Oakland Oaks in the Bay Area. Mr. Grant played farm league baseball in Canada, for St. Louis Cardinals, and then was traded to the Boston Red Sox. He played baseball until an accident that severed several fingers and an injured knee ended his baseball career.
He met and married Norma Louise Burningham on July 2, 1948. Together they had three children. Mr. Grant lived in the Hayward, Calif. area until moving to Sweet Home around 1969, settling on a small farm.
He was an avid inventor, who always worked to improve and invent new products, including equipment to develop baseball skills. He was a gentle spirit, remembered for his trusting and giving nature, good sense of humor and working with local youth to promote the game of baseball.
Mr. Grant is survived by son Rodney and daughter-in-law Merry Grant of Vancouver, Wash.; daughter Laura and son-in-law Tony Warren of Lebanon; son-in-law Brennan Raebel of Tigard; many grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; sister Betty Herlitz of Salem; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife Louise Grant; his parents; brothers Lester and Frank; sister Ruth; and daughter Kimberly
Raebel.
Viewing will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, June 11, at Sweet Home Funeral Chapel. A funeral service service is planned at 11 a.m. Friday, June 12, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Sweet Home. An additional viewing will be held one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow at Gilliland Cemetery.
Sweet Home Funeral Chapel is handling the arrangements.