Doc G Granger

DOC GARLAND GRANGER, 98, joined his beloved wife, Evelyn, and his adored mother, Isabel, in heaven on May 30, 2014. Mr. Granger passed away peacefully at his Jacksonville home in the presence of loved ones. His family wishes to express gratitude for the tender care Mr. Granger received from doctors, nurses and caregivers at Mayo Clinic, and from Community Hospice of Northeast Florida.

Doc Garland Granger was born on June 6, 1915 in a tiny sharecropper cabin in Robeson County, North Carolina. An intrepid entrepreneur, business man, family man, philanthropist and adventurer, Doc Granger earned a place in the history of Northeast Florida. With his natural “tobacco patch wisdom” and brilliant business savvy, Mr. Granger once owned Southeastern Metals in Jacksonville, Singleton’s Seafood Restaurant in Mayport, Lighthouse Pointe in Jacksonville Beach, Residential Elevators in Crawfordville, Florida, and various other enterprises up and down the East Coast of the United States. A 32nd Degree Mason, Mr. Granger was a member of the Mystic Shrine, a Noble of the Scottish Rite Temple, a Prince of the Royal Secret, and a member of the Royal Order of Jesters. He wore his Masonic Ring proudly, often pointing to the camel (symbolic of travel) when remembering camel riding in the Holy Land with his long-time friend and pastor, Dr. O. R. Rice, now retired from First Baptist Church of Jacksonville Beach, Florida. Doc Granger and his wife, Evelyn, also traveled to Europe and Japan, and took their family on a cruise to the Bahamas. In fact, Mr. Granger once owned a fleet of fishing boats in the Bahamas. He enjoyed boating immensely and at one time owned the original Showboat from the Broadway Production by the same name. There, he entertained friends and fellow Shriners, often with local entertainer Gene Nordan playing Jerome Kern’s built-in baby grand piano in the Showboat’s lounge. Doc Granger invited the entire cast from Showboat at the Alhambra Dinner Theatre to come aboard for an after-play party. A large corner booth at Billy’s Boathouse on Beach Blvd. was dubbed “Doc’s Corner,” (marked by a framed photo of Doc Granger on the wall), and there, he entertained many friends, enjoying good food, “adult beverages” and reminiscing about old times.

Friends often urged him to write a book about his rich and colorful life, and in 2009, he hired biographer, Susan D. Brandenburg to help him chronicle his life story in a biography titled Sharecropper’s Son, The Story of Doc Garland Granger. The book became the Florida Writer’s Association Royal Palm Literary Award-winning biography of 2010.

Loved and respected father, brother, uncle, grandfather and friend, Doc is survived by his God-daughter, Nadine Gramling (Donnie), daughter, Theresa Granger Smusz (Frank), son, Corbet Granger, and step-daughters Anita Belcher (Jim) and Rhea Bennett; his brother, Wade Bass; 12 loving grandchildren: Scott, Donnie Jr. and Tanya Gramling, Grace, Kevin and Brian Smusz, Steven Garcia, Guy Crowder, Pam Dorst, Bryan Brumby, and Glenn Crowder (who provided compassionate care for both of his grandparents in their last days); 9 great-grandchildren; nephews Wade, Jr., Garland, Phillip, Kenny and Richard; nieces Sandy and Kathy, and special friends Steve and Angela Hawley, Betty Droge-Iannucci, Brian Durrance, Lou Anne Williams, Dr. Catherine Maddafari, Bobbie Boeneke, Eddie Sparks, David Plummer, Carlton Spence, Ed Nimnicht, Brian Painter, and Jimmy Holderfield, all of whom will miss Doc’s wonderful sense of humor, his innate wisdom and his kind, generous heart.

Funeral arrangements for Mr. Granger are under the care and direction of Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home. Viewing will take place on Monday, June 2, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Hardage-Giddens Beaches Chapel, 1701 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250/904-249-2374, with a funeral service at the same location on Tuesday, June 3, 2014, at 11 a.m., followed by interment at Greenlawn Cemetery, 4300 Beach Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32207, which will include a Masonic Rite burial service.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Doc Garland Granger to the First Baptist Church of Jacksonville Beach and/or Community Hospice of Northeast Florida.