If you question whether you ever met him, then you likely never did. The favorite dad to many, including his own children. He had a gift for telling stories, that may even be true and a knack for creating memories with his L’Chayim (“to life”) philosophy and laughing sky-blue eyes. It is with deep sadness that we share that he passed away peacefully on Sunday, November 29th.

Grant was born on July 11 to Joe and Marion (Grant) in Worcester, Massachusetts where he was raised along with his siblings, Connie, Alice, and Mike, until a judge strongly suggested that he should join the military. At 17 he joined the Air Force and, after his active duty, he played baseball at Worcester Junior College before transferring to Michigan State. Although he struck out during his walk-on tryout, he hit a home run when he met Nancy, the smartest, prettiest girl on campus, whom he promptly married after graduating with a B.A. in accounting and, simultaneously, a G.E.D.

His first CPA job was with Peat Marwick in Detroit, then Pawtucket, Rhode Island, but he really hit his stride in 1967 as the finance director for the first full-time Black mayor in the nation, Bob Blackwell, in Highland Park, Michigan. He held similar positions in Taylor and, later, Gibraltar where he last resided. If you are one of those who asked him to fix your parking ticket he never did, he paid it for you (see donations below).

“You can say a lot of things about your father,” said Nancy, “but he’s not boring.” From deciding to buy “The Big A” for Nancy for her to have a place to ride her horse; to sneaking his daughter out of school for a baseball game; to dumping a towering pile of topsoil in the backyard for his future civil engineer son; to driving through the night with a nephew and his youngest son to a Stanley Cup hockey game after being told, “we’ll never get in”; everyone’s memories confirm the same.

Grant had a passion for baseball (Red Sox), keeping kids off the streets (17 years of baseball coaching and Boys & Girls Club) and Michigan State (anything). He was a devout Catholic throughout.

He celebrated 50 (now 57) years of marriage to Nancy at MSU’s chapel with his children, Donna, Joe and Ed, and their spouses, Drew, Diane, and Tiffany. His grandchildren, Michael & David; Marisa & Lauren; and Stephen, Jennifer & Grant, have been an ongoing source of joy, laughs, and passengers on many of his spontaneous adventures as well as recipients of requests for ice water “while you’re up.” All are Spartan fans.

Due to COVID, a private funeral service was held on December 3 at St. Mary, Our Lady of Annunciation, in Rockwood, Michigan. Of great meaning to his family, he received a police escort from most of the law enforcement departments with whom he worked or volunteered. After driving past the Gibraltar Grill, Dairy Queen, and around Edmond Island (where he lived), he was met at the Gibraltar Cemetery to “Scotland the Brave”. His American and MSU flag are viewable from his final resting place.

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Donations in lieu of flowers may be sent to:

Fauver-Martin Club in Highland Park (aka Boys & Girls Club): https://bgcsm.org/fauver-martin-club/

The Detroit GoodFellows (Old Newsboys’ No Child Without a Christmas): https://www.detroitgoodfellows.org/shop/donate-2020/

Spartan Marching Band’s Outreach & Inclusion (AE060998 in search) https://givingto.msu.edu/gift/?appeal=ONLINE

If by check – “Michigan State University” with “IMO Grant Alberts AE060998” in memo line. MSU; University Advancement; 535 Chestnut Road; East Lansing, MI; 48824