SANGERVILLE – Laura Mae Grant, 83, passed away peacefully after a brief illness, April 22, 2013. She was in her home at Fletcher Park Inn, Hendersonville, N.C., lovingly attended by her children. Laura was born Dec. 1, 1929, in Skowhegan, to Lawrence R. and Alice M. Easler.
She graduated from Lawrence High School and attended Atlantic Union College, Lancaster, Mass. In 1949 she married Edward Lloyd Johnson of Apponaug, R.I. In 1957 she married Doran Edward Grant and the couple settled on the family farm in Sangerville to raise their family. Laura belonged to South Sangerville Grange and was a member of Seventh-day Adventist Church, Dexter, where she played piano and organ for many years. Her professional career spanned several decades, beginning as secretary to Northern New England Conference president and continuing as secretary to the president of Colby College. Her career joy was her final work for 25 years as school secretary at Guilford Middle School, where she was loved by both students and staff. A favorite aunt, Laura was generous and fun loving and she was “Mom” to any child who appeared in her doorway. In retirement, she spent winters at her home in Florida and summers at the farm in Maine. For the past three years she and her brother shared an apartment at Fletcher Park Inn, enjoying their sibling relationship and making many new friends.
Laura was predeceased by her husband, Doran in 2002. She is survived by her brother, Norman Easler of Hendersonville, N.C.; five children, Diane Sedgwick, wife of Brent Sedgwick, Deb Campbell, wife of Dennis Campbell, Lawrence Grant, husband of Loretta Grant, Alan Grant, husband of Teri Grant and Richard Grant; grandchildren, Ann (Sedgwick) Elias, Jani (Sedgwick) Meekma, Scott Campbell, Chris Campbell, Lindsey (Grant) Crawford, Gabriel Grant, Kristi (Grant) Smylie, Justin Gates and Nora Ripley-Grant; and great-grandchildren, Brittany Elias, Caitlin Elias, David Meekma, Hallie Meekma, Elizabeth Campbell, Parker Campbell, Reese Campbell, Kylie Crawford, Avalon Crawford, Azlynn Gates, Autumn Gates, Grant Smylie and Sophie Smylie.
A memorial service was held April 23, at Fletcher Park Inn and a friends and family service will be held in the summer at Bailey Cemetery, by her family farm in South Sangerville. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Fletcher Academy: www.fundraise.com/non-profit/fletcher-nc-century-100-club-for-fletcher-academy-inc.
Laura Mae Grant
