Richard Grant

Richard Grant (1936-2021)

Richard Grant, of Bainbridge Island, Washington, was born in San Francisco, on July 7, 1936. He was raised in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and New York. He graduated Fairfax High School in Los Angeles in 1954 and then served two years in the US Army in Korea and six years in the US Army Reserve, receiving his Honorable Discharge in September 1962. He then attended American University, UCLA and the Neighborhood Playhouse, a prestigious acting school in New York. Richard was a man of many talents and he also studied ballet with Eugene Loring, New York City Ballet School, ABT and Martha Graham. He studied opera with Gerhard Pechner, a soloist with the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

After moving back to Los Angeles, Richard then formed 21 real estate syndications, managed some 1,500 apartment units and had a property management firm with 36 employees. Richard moved to Aspen, Colorado in 1972 and lived there until 1990. It is in Aspen where he met and married the love of his life, Kelly. They formed and owned Aspen Real Estate Company, doing many interesting real estate transactions with many interesting clients. In 1990, Richard and Kelly moved to Bigfork, Montana where they lived until 1993. In 1993, they moved to their current home on Bainbridge Island, Washington. During this time they also had a home in Park City, Utah, which was the site of many memorable family trips.

Richard loved playing classical piano, was a prolific reader, an expert marksman, a sailor, a skier, and took great pleasure in his family. In 1955, he received a Letter of Commendation from the US Army indicating “Because of your far superior record you have been chosen above your contemporaries to represent the 31st Infantry on the 7th Division Team in the forthcoming (rifle) competition.” Richard had over 156 days of sailing to some of the world’s most incredible locations including the British Virgin Islands, Tahiti, Bahamas, the Abacos, San Juan Islands and the Grenadines. He was an expert skier and was still skiing into his 77th year.

Richard is sorely missed by his family and friends. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Kelly Graham Grant, his brothers-in-law Homer (Diane) Smith of Kingsland, Texas and Bruce (Janet) Smith of Bigfork, Montana, his nieces and nephews Stacy (Tim) Leal of Trabuco Canyon, California, Jeff (April) Smith of Austin, Texas, and Zackery Smith of Fayetteville, Georgia, great nieces and nephews Griffin Levinski and Madison Zidek, Alexandra Carlisle and Carson Smith, and his great-great nephew Emmett Zidek.

Arrangements are entrusted to Cook Family Funeral Home of Bainbridge Island, WA