John Milton Grant

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of John Milton Grant on June 22, 2024. Born

on November 23, 1935, in Houlton, Maine, John moved to California in 1957 and after a few years,

settled in Granada Hills. He lived a life full of love, dedication, and service.

John is survived by his beloved wife, Frances; his four sons, John (Shannon), Bruce (Julia), David

(Tracy), and Daniel (Laura); ten grandchildren; one great-grandson; and his brothers-in-law and

sisters-in-law and their families. His family will forever cherish his memory.

John's father, Wendell, was a distinguished professor who taught math and science, and his mother,

Hazel, was known for her love of card games and baking. Following in his family's academic

footsteps, John was valedictorian of his high school class, received an appointment to West Point

and achieved his master's degree in physics from UCLA.

In the early years of his career, John worked on exciting projects at ITT, including night vision and

radar systems. He then continued as Operations Manager at Xerox Special Information Systems,

working for a time in Alexandria, Virginia, until his retirement. He enjoyed his work immensely,

although much of it was for the US military and remained confidential.

John's first wife and the mother of his children, Nerita Nason, had a wonderful singing voice. She

would sing all the time and loved to dance. While John was considered a good dancer by Nerita, he

was a horrible singer. Nevertheless, he taught himself to play the guitar and would play folk songs

on remote camping trips. It sounded much better when he would just play and she would sing, but

over time, the family got used to his tone-deaf singing and loved it. One of his favorite songs was

"The Cat Came Back."

John was an accomplished bridge player, trained by his mother, and known for his exceptional skill.

He also enjoyed chess and was a confident member of both his high school and college chess clubs,

always ready to take on any opponent.

John was very patient and loved to teach. He tutored his sons and many of their friends in complex

college classes in science and engineering. He was also an avid fly fisherman who loved the

outdoors. His love for animals was evident in his joy of feeding wild birds, squirrels, raccoons, deer,

cats, and even the occasional skunk. Additionally, John had a deep appreciation for poetry, which

brought him great joy throughout his life.

One of John's common mantras was "a lifetime of learning," which he embodied in every aspect of

his life. He touched the lives of many through his willingness to lend a helping hand and offer a

kind word.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Nerita Grant Scholarship Fund through the

Granada Hills Woman's Club, a cause close to John's heart.