Harry "Lee" Grant's Obituary
Harry “Lee” Grant, age 86, was born on October 16, 1939, in Beloit, Wisconsin, and passed away peacefully on December 15, 2025. Though born in Wisconsin, Lee moved to San Diego, California, as a baby in 1940 and spent much of his life there and later in the Dallas–Fort Worth area of Texas. Lee was a devoted father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, deeply dedicated to his family. His legacy lives on through his five children and their spouses: daughters Lisa Roselle (Gary), Heather Street (Chad), and Rosali Witthake (Josef); and sons Weston Grant (Tara) and Michael Grant. He was a proud grandfather to 11 grandchildren: Haley Gonzales, Mykala Roselle, Kayla Coston, McKenzie Roselle, Gage Street, Coen Street, Janes Witthake, Lea Witthake, Tyler Grant, Jaden Grant, and Valerie Grant. He was also blessed with four great-grandchildren: Kacen & Hayden Gonzales, Cainen Coston, and Hadley Roselle/Quintanilla. Lee is survived by his brother Bob (Glenda), sisters Patti and Bette, along with numerous nieces and nephews. The oldest of four children, Lee graduated from Mission Bay High School in San Diego before joining the United States Air Force. He began his service in Air Force Intelligence, holding a Top Secret security clearance, and worked for a time at the National Security Agency. While stationed in Germany, he married a German national, which resulted in the loss of his clearance. Later, in the late 1960s, Lee served in Vietnam with an Air Force Ranger unit, where he volunteered for dangerous night missions—circling over active combat zones just above small-arms fire to drop illuminating flares in support of U.S. ground troops. After his military service, Lee became an Air Traffic Controller at the FAA center in Dallas. He was later dismissed during the air traffic controllers’ strike under President Reagan. Undeterred, he continued his public service career with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, where he worked and managed teams gathering data used to determine the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and other wage-related statistics. During this time, he attended school part-time and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Texas at Arlington. Following retirement from government service, Lee’s curiosity and love of learning led him to become an elementary school teacher at a rural Texas school. He also spent time teaching English in Romania, further reflecting his desire to serve and connect with others. Never one to sit still, Lee earned his pilot’s license, purchased a small plane, and volunteered flying missions into remote areas of Mexico with Doctors Without Borders. He later pursued another passion—sailing—earning his captain’s license, teaching sailing, and conducting sailing tours out of Corpus Christi, Texas. Lee lived a life guided by curiosity, courage, and quiet service. He never sought recognition or bragged about his accomplishments—he simply followed where his inquisitive mind and generous spirit led him. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all who knew him.
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