Olin Tracey Grant, 85, of Somers passed away on Christmas night (Dec. 25, 2017) with his family by his side at Johnson Memorial Hospital. Olin was born on St. Patrick's Day March 17, 1932, in Manchester, CT the son of the late H. Olin and Mildred (Hartenstein) Grant. Olin proudly served his county in the United States Air Force during the Koran War and later in the Connecticut National Air Guard. He was employed with the Manchester Water Company and Grantland Nursery in Manchester with his brother Morgan. He was Chief of Security at Lexington County Hospital in S.C. and later retired from Asnuntuck Community College. Olin enjoyed working with his hands and tinkering with anything mechanical. He was a Jack of All Trades. His ability to be self sufficient and to fix things on his own inspired all his children to grow up and do the same. He was always helping or trying to direct his children with any projects they started, whether it be cars or tree houses; many of which were secretly converted into pigeon coops without his wife’s knowledge sometimes. He raised beagles and Homing Pigeons and grew to love the sport of racing Flying Tippler pigeons. As his children, we will always be eternally grateful for the endless love and support he gave to us all. Always level headed in a crisis, his ability to calm those around him and give them a sense of security and a feeling "all will be well" was invaluable to the family. Dad was a born story teller like all the "Grant boys" and passed on many funny and touching tales that we promise to pass on to our children. He was the type of man who used common sense, his abundant sense of humor, and his heart as his best tools to help all around him. He lived his life by example for his children to follow. To us, he will always be the Greatest Dad ever, and he was a wonderful Son, Brother, Uncle, Husband, Grandfather, Great Grandfather, Cousin and Friend to ALL.
Dad's greatest lesson to his family was material riches mean naught, it's the love and support of family that truly measures your wealth in life-and we were abundantly blessed. Olin was predeceased by his beloved wife Dolores (Simpson) Grant. He is survived by his three sons, Charles Grant of Enfield; Frank Grant and his wife, Brenda of Batesburg, SC; Olin Harold Grant, Esq., of Somers; a daughter, Tracie Grant Pinney and her husband Sampson of Somers; and daughter-in-law Deanne Grant of Denver, NC. Olin is also survived by his older brother, Frederick (Fral) Grant and his wife Shirley of Columbia, SC and sister-in-law Marjorie Grant of Fort Myers Fl.; a special sister-in-law Joan Simpson Holzwarth and her husband Dan of Bangor Maine; eight loving grandchildren, Heather Watford Studley, Jennifer Grant Sandsted, Alyson Grant, Brittany Grant Bair, Taylor Grant, Kate Pinney, Sydney Pinney, and Grant Pinney; eight beloved great-grandchildren, Nicholas, Benjamin, Caroline, Jada, Ryan, Madison, Bella, and Jonah; many nieces, and nephews, especially the "Moor 5" of Maine and the 3”J’s”of VT. and Eddie and Lisa Sturgeon of S.C. Olin was predeceased by three brothers, Hamilton Grant, Harold "Bitsy"Olin Grant, Jr. and Morgan Grant. There are no calling hours. Funeral services with military honors and Scottish bagpipes will be celebrated on Saturday, January 6, 2018,at 10:30 am at the Leete-Stevens Enfield Chapels, 61 South Rd., Enfield. Burial in Wapping Cemetery in South Windsor will be held at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions in memory of Olin may be made to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Leete-Stevens Enfield Chapels. For online expressions of sympathy or directions please visit www.somersfuneralhome.com