The Rev. Robert Grant

The Reverend Robert Day Grant of Roscoe, a retired pastor and social worker, returned his life to his Creator on January 23, 2018 at 101 years of age.

The son of George Edward and Florence Elizabeth Grant, he was born on September 7, 1916, in Fulton, New York.

He graduated from Fulton High School in 1934, was awarded a Bachelor of Arts Degree cum laude from Syracuse University in 1939 and earned the Master of Divinity Degree from Chicago Theological Seminary in 1945.

He was wed to Helen Laura Young, a Syracuse University classmate, on January 4, 1943.

In recognition of his dedication to an ecumenical ministry among rural churches he was inducted into the John Frederick Oberlin Fellowship of the Rural Church Institute in 1949. Wherever he served as a pastor he was active in councils of churches and interdenominational ministerial fellowships. He served for six years as Registrar of the Susquehanna Association of the United Church of Christ.

During a 12 ½ year pastorate at the United Church of Roscoe, he helped facilitate the formation of the Rockland Area Ministry, a cooperative arrangement among churches in the township that brought a full-time, resident oastir to the Livingston Manor Methodist Church for 9 years and brought the Presbyterian and United churches in Roscoe together as a single worshipping congregation for 17 years.

Mr. Grant resigned as a pastor in 1970 to assume the position of social worker with the newly opened Roscoe Community Nursing Home, from which he retired in 1981.

In 1991 The United Church honored him with the status of Pastor Emeritus upon the 50th Anniversary of his ordination at a Bob Grant Sunday Celebration.

With its formation in 2003, he became active in the Rockland Area Inter-Faith Council, facilitating a series of dialogue sessions among Christians, Jews, and Muslims in Sullivan County. In 2005 the Council honored him with the awarding of a plaque which read, “In appreciation of his life-long spiritual leadership and devotion to the well being of the human family.”

He is survived by two sons, Douglas Alan and his wife, Willa, Asheville, NC, and David Edward and his wife, Laura, of Cooks Falls, NY; five grandchildren: Corey, Jeremy, Jessica, Isaac, Danielle; and three great-grandchildren: Hope, Conner, Brooklynn. He was predeceased by Helen, his partner in marriage for 58 years.

As was the case with his wife, his body is donated to Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, for use in the training of future physicians.

A memorial service will be Saturday, May 19, 2018 at 2 PM in the United Church of Roscoe, Church Street, Roscoe, NY.  The Rev. Dora Odarenko will officiate.

In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to Habitat for Humanity of Sullivan County, P.O. Box 695, Harris, NY, 12742.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Harris Funeral Home, Railroad Avenue Roscoe, NY.  607-498-4929 or 845-439-5200 www.Harris-FH.com