Obituary of Patricia Lea Grant

Patricia Lea (Smith) Grant, 75, died Saturday, April 2, 2016 in Palm Bay, Florida. Her work here on earth is completed and she went to be with the one she served for all of her life, our Lord Jesus Christ. She was born August 23, 1940 in Trenton, New Jersey to Anna Caroline (Applegate) Smith and George Lincoln Smith where she resided for 22 years. She married Marshall Leroy Grant in January 1963 and resided in Melbourne and Eau Gallie, Florida until they retired to Prattville, Alabama for the past 15 years. She moved back to Florida in November 2015 where she resided until her death. She was a devout Christian, she served the Lord in many facets. She was raised Catholic and chose the Baptist religion after her marriage. She even served as an Auxiliary Captain in the Salvation Army with Mr. Grant, before she retired to return home to care for her ailing mother. She taught Sunday school and sang in the choir at Bowe Gardens Baptist Church for several years, as well as taught in there private school grades 3rd +óGé¼GÇ£ 6th. Mrs. Grant never had children of her own, so when her sister Joyce died of cancer in 1972, she took on the task of making sure her sister’s children wanted for nothing and acted as surrogate mother and grandmother for over 40 years. She was truly their guardian angel. She was a special kind of a human being as she never met a stranger and would stop at nothing to help her family and friends in any way. She even took off a year with her husband to Idaho to help his brother Bob and sister-in-law Francine with their ministry. She is survived by husband Marshall Leroy Grand, who passed 6 days later on Friday, April 8, 2016; nieces Paula A. Sacco-Leyva of Tampa, Georgeann Sacco of Melbourne, Beverly Martinez of Melbourne, and Clarice Risoldi of Trenton, NJ; nephews Anthony Pennacchi of Philadelphia and Paul Pennacchi of Trenton, NJ; stepdaughters Sandi Gafgen and Robin Lemmons of Arizona and Marsha Grant of Alabama; several great nieces and nephews; several great great-nieces and nephews; and several great, great, great nieces and nephews; two step grandchildren; and three step great-grandchildren. She is also survived by several brothers and sisters-in-law on her husband+óGé¼Gäós side.A memorial of her life will be held on Sunday, April 24, 2016 at 2:30pm at Bowe Gardens Baptist Church, 2700 Sarno Rd, Melbourne, 32935 for those who would like to come out and give her remembrances.