Obituary of James William Grant

LEXINGTON—A memorial service for James William "Bill" Grant, 62, of Lexington will be held at 4:00 p.m. Thursday, January 2, 2014 at Thompson Funeral Home, Lexington Chapel, 4720 Augusta Road, Lexington, SC 29073. Mr. Danny Stokes and Reverend Albert Cox will be officiating. The family will greet friends from 4:30-6:30 p.m. following the service at the funeral home. Mr. Grant, beloved husband of Rhonda Dake Grant, passed away at home on Sunday, December 29, 2013. Born in El Paso, TX, he was a son of the late James White Grant and the late Audry Livingston Grant. Bill was raised in Columbia, and graduated from A. C. Flora High School as well as the University of South Carolina. He worked his entire professional career for the SC Budget & Control Board in the field of Information Technology, a profession to which he was devoted. In his younger days, Bill had a great passion for the outdoors including deer hunting and fishing for the elusive striped bass. He had a boundless love of sailing and spent hours upon hours on his sailboat, U-Bet, on beautiful Lake Murray. Bill served on the Board of Stewards as Commodore for Windward Point Yacht Club in 2006. He loved the culinary arts, which was inspired by his mom who was an exceptional southern cook. When he wasn't on the lake, he dedicated time to reading an eclectic assortment of magazines and books, solving sudoku, listening to a wide range of music and exploring techniques in watercolor painting. Friends and family meant the world to Bill and his thoughts were always of those who were most special to him. Bill was a member of Bethel United Methodist Church in Columbia. Surviving in addition to his loving wife of 33 years, Rhonda Grant of Lexington; son, Dean Grant and daughter Audry Joyce "A.J." Grant both of Columbia; sisters, Sue Grant and Peggy Grant both of Columbia; brother, John Grant (Mary Jane) of Blacksburg, VA, nieces and nephews, Melanie Schano (Alan), Sarah Grant, Luke Grant, Melissa Dake, Sarah Dake; father-in-law, TSgt. Ronald Dean Dake, Sr., USAF (ret.) and a large and loving extended family. He was preceded in death by his mother-in-law, Peggy Nelson Dake and by a brother-in-law, Ronald Dean Dake, Jr. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given in Bill's memory to Columbia Museum of Art, PO Box 2068, Columbia SC, 29202 or the charity of one's choice.