HAROLD V. GRANT, 93, followed his beloved wife Jean in death on Sunday, September 4, 2016, in Bangor, Maine. He was born August 4, 1923, in Bangor, Maine to Vesta (McClary) Grant and Vaughn Grant.
Harold graduated from Bangor High School in 1941. Following graduation, he served with the U. S. Army in Saipan as a Quartermaster during World War II, earning various medals and campaign ribbons. After the war he married Betty Jean (Leckemby) Grant, with whom he had three children, followed by his marriage to Gloria (Glidden) Grant, with whom he also had three children. He was married for a third and final time in 1963, to Jean (Delano)(Buswell) Grant, with whom he had one child. Harold and Jean celebrated 53 years of marriage prior to her death earlier this year. As Harold often said, he “finally got it right”.
Harold was an innovative and enduring entrepreneur in the local community for all of his life. Early in his career, he was Vice-president of Finance with the Eastern Trust and Banking Co., followed by ownership in several business ventures, including Fidelity Finance Co. H.V. Grant Insurance in Old Town, and Grant’s Variety Stores in Old Town and Corinth. In addition to being an insurance broker, Harold was a Realtor and was also certified by the State of Maine as a Property Tax Assessor and Appraiser. As an assessor, Harold served the towns of Hudson, Corinth, Eddington and Old Town for many years. But it was in the early sixties that Harold made the move that would truly define his career. Following a long family tradition of railroading, he accepted a business management position with the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad. He became a Director of the newly-founded credit union for the railroad, BARCO, and his passion for that entity was born. The evolution and growth of BARCO prompted the changing of its name to Maine Savings Federal Credit Union in 2001, and it has since become one of Maine’s largest credit unions. Harold continued as Director and then as Chairman of the Board of Directors until his retirement in 2007 at the age of 84.
Harold was a 32nd degree Mason and Shriner, Order of the Scottish Rites, F.&A.M., and was a loyal member of the St. Andrew’s Lodge in Bangor. He was also active in the Old Town and Bangor Rotary Clubs during his business years. Harold loved nothing better than having his family and friends join him in a game of horseshoes or cards. Many lasting friendships were made and many cribbage games were played at the Grant summer camps on Boyd Lake and Little Pushaw and the hunting camp in Wesley every November. In his later years, he would often be found sitting in a rocking chair, smoking his pipe while his children and grandchildren played, swam, or hunted under his watchful eye.
In addition to his parents, Harold was predeceased by his wife Jean, his sister, Marian and his brother, Ronald. Surviving family include his son Richard Grant and wife Judy, daughter Judith (Grant) Bradshaw-Rojas and husband Will, son David Grant and wife Kathy, all residing in Las Vegas, Nevada, son Donald Grant and wife Carol of Hudson, daughter Kathryn Grant of Bar Harbor, son Thomas Grant of Richmond, Virginia and daughter Peggy (Grant) Mace of Dover, New Hampshire. He is also survived by his stepchildren, Kenneth “Sonny” Buswell, Jr. and wife Donetta of Corinth, Ethel Odom and husband Arnold of Moultrie, Georgia, and Rodney Buswell and wife Debbie of Eddington, as well as numerous grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
Friends may call from 6 -8 pm, Thursday, September 8th, at Brookings-Smith, 133 Center Street, Bangor, where funeral services will be held 1 pm, Friday, September 9th. The family invites relatives and friends to share memories, conversation and refreshments at the Family Reception Center of Brookings-Smith, 163 Center Street, Bangor, immediately following the service. Interment will follow the reception at Corinthian Cemetery in Corinth.
Those who wish to remember Harold in a special way may make gifts in his memory to the Maine Savings Scholarship Fund, P.O Box 347, Hampden, Maine, 04444, for the benefit of a Central High School student. Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.BrookingsSmith.com.
Harold graduated from Bangor High School in 1941. Following graduation, he served with the U. S. Army in Saipan as a Quartermaster during World War II, earning various medals and campaign ribbons. After the war he married Betty Jean (Leckemby) Grant, with whom he had three children, followed by his marriage to Gloria (Glidden) Grant, with whom he also had three children. He was married for a third and final time in 1963, to Jean (Delano)(Buswell) Grant, with whom he had one child. Harold and Jean celebrated 53 years of marriage prior to her death earlier this year. As Harold often said, he “finally got it right”.
Harold was an innovative and enduring entrepreneur in the local community for all of his life. Early in his career, he was Vice-president of Finance with the Eastern Trust and Banking Co., followed by ownership in several business ventures, including Fidelity Finance Co. H.V. Grant Insurance in Old Town, and Grant’s Variety Stores in Old Town and Corinth. In addition to being an insurance broker, Harold was a Realtor and was also certified by the State of Maine as a Property Tax Assessor and Appraiser. As an assessor, Harold served the towns of Hudson, Corinth, Eddington and Old Town for many years. But it was in the early sixties that Harold made the move that would truly define his career. Following a long family tradition of railroading, he accepted a business management position with the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad. He became a Director of the newly-founded credit union for the railroad, BARCO, and his passion for that entity was born. The evolution and growth of BARCO prompted the changing of its name to Maine Savings Federal Credit Union in 2001, and it has since become one of Maine’s largest credit unions. Harold continued as Director and then as Chairman of the Board of Directors until his retirement in 2007 at the age of 84.
Harold was a 32nd degree Mason and Shriner, Order of the Scottish Rites, F.&A.M., and was a loyal member of the St. Andrew’s Lodge in Bangor. He was also active in the Old Town and Bangor Rotary Clubs during his business years. Harold loved nothing better than having his family and friends join him in a game of horseshoes or cards. Many lasting friendships were made and many cribbage games were played at the Grant summer camps on Boyd Lake and Little Pushaw and the hunting camp in Wesley every November. In his later years, he would often be found sitting in a rocking chair, smoking his pipe while his children and grandchildren played, swam, or hunted under his watchful eye.
In addition to his parents, Harold was predeceased by his wife Jean, his sister, Marian and his brother, Ronald. Surviving family include his son Richard Grant and wife Judy, daughter Judith (Grant) Bradshaw-Rojas and husband Will, son David Grant and wife Kathy, all residing in Las Vegas, Nevada, son Donald Grant and wife Carol of Hudson, daughter Kathryn Grant of Bar Harbor, son Thomas Grant of Richmond, Virginia and daughter Peggy (Grant) Mace of Dover, New Hampshire. He is also survived by his stepchildren, Kenneth “Sonny” Buswell, Jr. and wife Donetta of Corinth, Ethel Odom and husband Arnold of Moultrie, Georgia, and Rodney Buswell and wife Debbie of Eddington, as well as numerous grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
Friends may call from 6 -8 pm, Thursday, September 8th, at Brookings-Smith, 133 Center Street, Bangor, where funeral services will be held 1 pm, Friday, September 9th. The family invites relatives and friends to share memories, conversation and refreshments at the Family Reception Center of Brookings-Smith, 163 Center Street, Bangor, immediately following the service. Interment will follow the reception at Corinthian Cemetery in Corinth.
Those who wish to remember Harold in a special way may make gifts in his memory to the Maine Savings Scholarship Fund, P.O Box 347, Hampden, Maine, 04444, for the benefit of a Central High School student. Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.BrookingsSmith.com.
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