Austin Grant

Austin Grant, age 95, of Bellingham passed away on Tuesday, October 8th at his home in Bellingham.

Austin was born in Seattle to Gail and William R. Grant. He did not have any siblings but there were always neighbors to share kid stuff. He spent all his spare times and summers on the water at Vashon Island where his parents had a summer home. It was there he was introduced to rowing and motorboats and he made daily trips to deliver his dad to the ferry dock, one second before it departed. Summers were always spent on the island and he and his local cohorts picked berries to earn money for school clothes. He returned home to Seattle at the last moment in time to buy shoes and clothes to replace the ones outgrown. He loved it that his own two children were able to join their grandparents in the summertime to live the island life he had enjoyed.

Austin graduated from Lincoln High School in Seattle and then the School of Architecture at the University of Washington where he became a Theta Chi. During the war he commuted daily to work in the Engineering Department of the Todd Shipyard in Tacoma. There he interviewed, hired and then married Idaho girl Betty Lou Mellor. Austin joined his father’s firm, William R. Grant & Son, where their practice specialized in schools, churches, municipal and utility buildings . Many of the contacts he made became lifelong friends.

In later years, annual trips to Hawaii became one of his favorite things. All of his life he loved boating and continued that hobby until recently on a wooden boat, the Mariche. Austin was a life member of Queen City Yacht Club in Seattle and later a member of Orcas Island Yacht Club. Austin and Betty moved from Seattle to live on Orcas Island where Austin spearheaded the building of a senior center there. Desiring a life minus dependency on Washington State Ferries, the final move was to Bellingham where his mother had spent her early years and where a large clan of Austin’s had pioneered near Lake Whatcom.

Austin was a “people person” who wanted to be involved in his community and enjoyed participating in roles where his architectural acumen helped. In Seattle he was on the vestry of Christ Episcopal Church. As a Mason he was a life member of the Masonic Order and past master Worthy Master of Arcana Lodge, as was his father before him. He was on the board of Volunteers of America for many years and was a consultant at the Diocese of Olympia.

He felt so blessed to have a loving, cohesive family. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Betty Lou. Austin was proud of his daughter, Kathy, and her boys, Will, his wife Lisa, sons Sammy, Milo and daughter, Hazel, Paul, his wife Sue and children, Megan and Craig, Rory, Sean, his wife Sue, and their daughter Faryn. He cherished son Bill, his wife Lulu, and his children Dylan, and twins Caitlin and Marissa.

Whatcom Hospice was invaluable during Austin’s illness. The family suggests remembrances to Hospice would be appreciated.