Grant Perkins

Grant Callan Perkins was born on September 9, 1916, in Dayton, Idaho. He was the youngest of nine children born to David Alma Perkins and Mary Elizabeth Callan Perkins. He enjoyed a festive celebration of his 100th birthday with all of his family and friends on September 9, 2016.

He grew up in Dayton, Idaho and went to school nearby in Preston, Idaho where he was a member of the Preston, Idaho football team. The family homestead where he was born was donated to the town of Dayton, Idaho and is no now called Perkins Park, a gathering place for town residents.

Grant met his wife, Mary Gayou, in Tucson, Arizona and they were married on November 1, 1936. They were married for 72 years and Mary preceded him in death in 2008.

Grant spent his entire career working for Union Pacific Railroad, first as a fireman and later as an engineer. He retired from the railroad in 1980. Grant was a founding member of Willow Creek Country Club in the mid 1950’s. That is when he first took up golf. He became an avid fan, was a member at Willow Creek for most of the rest of his life and shot a hole-in-one on six occasions on that course.

Grant lived in his own home until the last four months of his life, still gardening, climbing up and down stairs, enjoying a panoramic view of Salt Lake City and shoveling snow whenever he could sneak away from the watchful eye of family and neighbor (Kathy Wu).

Grant is survived by his two daughters, Nadyne Meier and Joanne (Mike) Ernstsen, 4 grandchildren, Scott Painter (Andrew Pitts), Ronni Meyer, Michael Ernstsen (Christy) and Rob Ernstsen, 6 great grandchildren, Joshua Meyer, Justin (Amber) Meyer, Nicole (Nick) Higgs, Ryen Ernstsen, Adam Kacerovskis and John Ernstsen, and 7 great great grandchildren.

Private family services will be held to honor our time with him and share wonderful memories with internment at Wasatch Lawn Mausoleum alongside his wife Mary.

The family wishes to express their sincere gratitude to Beehive Senior Care, Brighton Hospice and Sunrise Sandy for the care and love provided to Grant and his family during the last years of his life. We also want to thank granddaughter Ronni and great granddaughter Nicole for the love and constant care provided to both Grant and his wife Mary during the final years of each of their lives.