Grant Arden McAllister, age 73, went to be with the Lord on July 8, 2016. There his passion for creativity and love of adventure will continue. Grant’s love for his family and friends was always present. At the time of his passing, he was encircled by his loving family as beautiful music played in his home. Grant was born on a Saturday, February 20, 1943 in Janesville, Wisconsin.
Grant’s love for travel and adventure began at a young age. His family made several moves across the United States, visiting wonderful places along the way. Grant’s elementary school years were in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin. He attended middle school and three years of high school in Lewiston, Maine. Summer of 1960, Grant and his family moved to Newark, Ohio. He graduated from Newark Senior High School in 1961.
Grant’s love for creativity and eye for the perfect picture blossomed during his time at The Ohio State University. Majoring in Visual Communications, Grant graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1966. He began his graphic design career in Columbus, Ohio and later moved to Marion, Ohio to continue his career at Howard Swink Advertising.
During the Summer of 1976, Grant met the love of his life, Ann King. Love at first sight brought them together, but the joy of bicycle riding cemented that love. Their life together was indeed a beautiful ride! They were married on May 20, 1978, recently celebrating 38 years of marriage. In July 1982 and March 1986, Grant and Ann welcomed their sons Ben and Brett into the world.
With his focus always on family, Grant started a graphic design firm in Marion, Ohio, designNET. This allowed Grant the flexibility to take many wonderful family vacations, attend his children’s activities, and be ever present in family life. designNET served many local businesses including Marion General Hospital. He creatively designed many advertising pieces seen on billboards, in doctors’ offices, and within the hospital.
Grant retired in March of 2011 enjoying new adventures and exploring new places with Ann. He traveled to several islands in the Bahamas and the Caribbean, ventured across the seas, and completed his quest to visit all 50 states.
Grant enjoyed crisp fall days watching football and cheering his Ohio State Buckeyes and Green Bay Packers. In October of 2014, Grant’s dream trip to Lambeau Field with Ben and Brett became a reality. Grant had a great love for nature; hiking for miles and miles and photographing all along the trail. Cascading waterfalls, majestic mountains, cresting waves, and rushing streams were Grant’s nature highs!
Throughout his life, Grant had a continuing interest in the arts: expressed through his music collection, watercolor painting, and love of reading and writing. He had great compassion for all people and was truly a life-long learner.
Love was the foundation of Grant’s life and there was no place more apparent than with his family. He was overjoyed when his grandson, Chase Kincaid McAllister, was born September
14, 2014. Silly voices, reading books, and stroller rides were his favorite times with Chase. Grant’s legacy of love, consistent faith, and enthusiasm for life will live forever.
Grant will be missed by his beloved wife, Ann (King) McAllister; two sons: Ben (Ashley) McAllister of Indianapolis, Brett (Jessie) McAllister of Dayton; grandson: Chase McAllister; two siblings: Erin Newman of Columbus, and Scott (Wendy) McAllister of Erie, Colorado; and cousins, nieces, nephews, and dear friends.
Grant was preceded in death by his parents Carl and Hazel McAllister; aunt, Dorothy Adison; nephew, Charles McAllister Tully.
A celebration of Grant’s life with family and friends will be at a later date in the fall. Fall was Grant’s favorite time of the year… “sweater weather.”
In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent in Grant’s memory to the following charities:
MDS: Myelodysplastic Syndrome
The MDS Foundation
4573 South Broad St. Suite 150
Yardville, NJ 08620
www.mds-foundation.org
Cleveland Hope Lodge (housing for cancer patients and caregivers)
11432 Mayfield Road
Cleveland, Ohio 44106-2364
National Park Foundation
1110 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 200
Washington, D.C. 20005
www.nps.gov
Denzer-Farison-Hottinger & Snyder Funeral Home is honored to have been chosen to serve Grant’s family and your condolences may be expressed to them by visiting www.SnyderFuneralHomes.com.
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