In Memory

Brooke Grant - Class Of 1952

Brooke Grant

Brooke Grant, beloved husband, father and grandfather, died peacefully on September 5, 2017. This brilliant man, with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, was caught in the mean grip of Alzheimer's disease for the past nine years. Having lived life with a big warm heart, he leaves a legacy of generosity, wisdom, and love.

Born August 27, 1935 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Mildred and Van Grant, Brooke spent much of his youth on a ranch in Tucson, Arizona. He graduated from South Pasadena-San Marino High School and attended UCLA before completing most of his studies at the University of Utah, where he was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity.  At the urging of their mothers, who were longtime friends, Brooke and Sally Creer met at the 'U' and instantly fell for each other. They married in 1957, a love affair that lasted for more than 60 years. They were blessed with five children and eight grandchildren who meant the world to them.

Brooke earned a law degree from Stanford University and worked for Toche, Ross, Bailey, and Smart, the international accounting firm based in San Francisco. He also worked for Varian Associates - one of the earliest Silicon Valley technology companies. But the entrepreneurial fire always burned brightly and using his financial knowledge and deft negotiating skill, he would go on to purchase Utah's Tracy Collins Bank and Trust with two partners. Later he put together a group to purchase the NY Stock Exchange-listed Talcott National, the largest factoring firm in the United States and became the company's CEO. Over the years he bought a number of struggling companies to turn them around into successful ventures and was also involved in real estate development throughout Utah. He was a teacher at heart and said the years teaching business law at Brigham Young University was one of the favorite periods of his life.

Brooke loved playing and teaching tennis. He was a nationally-ranked junior player in the 1950s and played for both UCLA and the University of Utah. He stayed with his passion for tennis until his later 70s when it became more and more difficult for him to move around the court. He was also passionate about flying, he learned to fly while a college student and piloted his own small planes, from small single engine Piper Cubs to larger twin engine planes. In later years he took up painting and through hard work became quite skilled. He loved to paint images of Utah's incomparable desert landscape.

Brooke will be remembered for his love of people, his commitment to the gospel, his tenderness and his generosity. He cherished the opportunity to serve as a Bishop, as a member of the Ecumenical Council of Park City, and as Branch President at the LDS Hospital for a number of years. He was endlessly supportive of his children and a terrific grandpa. Brooke is survived by his wife Sally, his siblings, and his children Elizabeth Grant, Greg Grant, Allison (Kenn) Dayton, and Pamela (Stephen) Caine; and his loving grandchildren.

Desert News, September 8, 2017