Dorothy Ann Grant

Dorothy Ann Grant passed away peacefully into the next on October 14, 2024 with her daughter Janice by her side. She will be forever in the hearts of those she touched. For nothing loved is ever lost. And she was loved so much. 

Dorothy was born to John and Olga Koval and grew up in Detroit. She enjoyed carefree days playing with neighborhood friends until the streetlights came on – and summers on her grandparents’ farms in Ohio. In addition to her elder brother, John Michael, and younger sister, Catherine, there was always a revolving cast of aunts and uncles dropping by the house who Dorothy adored and admired. 

Dorothy’s love of family and friends continued throughout her life. She enjoyed keeping in touch with extended family and friends, always sending out birthday cards and letters – and never missing a graduation, christening, or wedding celebration. She delighted in hearing people’s stories and news, remembering the details years later. She never gave up on people, believing that everyone had something to offer and deserved a chance.

Dorothy attended Cooper Elementary, Burroughs Intermediate School, and Northeastern High School in Detroit. She often recalled how much she loved school, with fond memories of playing the clarinet in the band, studying Latin, and competing on the basketball, volleyball, and swim teams. She served as vice president of the senior class (noting that the role of president always went to a boy), editor of the school newspaper, and co-editor of the yearbook. She was voted “Most Likely to Succeed.” She loved working almost as much as she loved school, and took buses across the city to work at her part-time jobs at a dress shop, bakery, and library. 

Dorothy majored in history and political science at the University of Michigan. While in college she played bridge with her housemates and worked at the Wind Tunnel Lab and Research Center. She shelved books at the library, a job which came with the perk of having high tea with the librarians on Saturdays, something which young Dorothy thought was “really living.” 

Upon graduating, she started teaching and working on her master’s degree in education at Wayne State University. As part of that program, she took a nine-credit class that concluded with a 58-day trip across Europe, from the United Kingdom to Russia. She recalled that this trip “opened her eyes to a whole new world,” leading her to seek a teaching position in Toul, France. There, she was among a small group of teachers who established a new high school on the U.S. Army base to serve the children of America’s Army, Air Force, and civilian military personnel. In addition to teaching, the position gave Dorothy the chance to attend teachers’ conferences in Paris and spend holidays skiing in Austria. She loved meeting so many people of different backgrounds and cultures.

It was in Toul that Dorothy met the love of her life, Jack Grant, a Second Lieutenant in the Army who had just graduated from California’s Santa Clara University. Sixty years later, Dorothy would still recall the moment she first saw him: He was doing the twist at the Officers Club. She would make her grandchildren laugh by recalling that she “liked how the other soldiers saluted him when she went out with him.”

After completing her teaching contract in France, she returned to Detroit, packed up her Volkswagen bug and drove to California where she started a teaching job near San Jose while Jack worked for NASA. They soon married at Dorothy’s childhood church in Detroit, St. Nicholas, and embarked on a honeymoon trip driving across the country to set up home in Sunnyvale, California. 

A few years later, Jack took a job with Pratt & Whitney Aircraft and they moved to Glastonbury, Connecticut where Dorothy taught school. After the birth of her two daughters, Janice and Cathy, Dorothy convinced Jack, her California boy, to move to the Detroit area to be closer to family. There, they settled in Plymouth, Michigan. In order to meet people in their new town, Dorothy joined Newcomers and the local chapter of American Association of University Women (AAUW), beginning friendships that have spanned over 50 years. She also built a life that furthered her love of learning and passed along this joy to others. She once said “I love a busy life” and she was indeed busy. 

In her professional life, she worked as an educational development coordinator for the University of Michigan. This position took her to three General Motors facilities where she encouraged workers to further their education and then guided them through the process. She also taught English to spouses of auto executives who had transferred to the U.S. from overseas. She loved learning their stories. 

For over 30 years, Dorothy was connected to Schoolcraft Community College, first by providing academic support services to students at the Learning Assistance Center and later teaching classes as an adjunct professor. She treasured the letters she received from her Schoolcraft students describing the impact she had made in their lives. Along the way, she obtained another master’s degree, this one in reading and critical analysis. She also sold real estate, noting that she especially loved “helping young couples buy their first home.” 

She served as the Scholarship Chair for AAUW, which advanced education, research and self-development for women through university scholarships and contributions to the legal advocacy fund. She also served as International Chair, researching and amplifying AAUW’s work to combat human trafficking.

Dorothy joined the Friends of the Library Board, the Plymouth Study Club and a writing group. She also volunteered alongside Jack at the Plymouth Historical Museum. She had great fun being part of a walking group, yoga classes, and even a Ukulele group. She volunteered at Bird Elementary School kindergarten, helping the youngest students prepare to read. She loved to write and enjoyed contributing articles and book reviews and sharing books with family and friends. She once remarked that she was pleased to have passed on her love of reading to both her daughters, saying: “I guess all those books in their cribs and playpens imprinted on them!” 

When Jack retired 25 years ago, there was more time for her other love: travel. For a quarter century, Dorothy and Jack traveled throughout the U.S. and the world. Their travels were a glorious mix of thoughtfully planned, structured excursions interspersed with time for meandering. Camping trips across all 50 states nearly always included birding, bike riding, and beach walks. In between, they enjoyed long international trips to nearly every continent across the globe. A highlight was their visit to Antarctica. Dorothy loved to recall that when they rounded Cape Horn, the captain had to lock them in so no one would go up on deck because the waves were so high and the wind was at gale force. “This was pure adventure,” she exclaimed.

Yet Dorothy recalled that the best trips were those visiting her grandchildren in New York and Connecticut. Max and Ally were a source of great joy in her life. She loved seeing the museums, parks, and sights of New York City through their eyes, as well as playing board and card games together. For them, she even forgot her insistence on borrowing library books rather than buying them, and loved taking them to favorite book stores – where she would buy not just one but multiple books. Ally and Max will treasure her many witticisms, as well as her hundreds of photos, for years to come. A favorite Dorothy saying: "Feel the fear and do it anyway”.

Her faith deepened and sustained her throughout the trials and tribulations of life. Through her Bible study and rosary groups she developed meaningful friendships and a sincere gratitude for the life she had lived. This was a source of great comfort after the unexpected loss of her dear husband Jack – just six months ago and after nearly 60 years of an amazing marriage – and the death of her daughter Cathy five years ago. 

Dorothy is survived by her daughter Janice and husband Kevin Brunner, both of New York City, and grandchildren Max Brunner and Ally Brunner. Dorothy is also survived by her brother, John Michael Koval (Barbara) of Lansing Michigan, and sister, Catherine Marchione of Royal Oak, Michigan, her dear sister-in-laws Judy Kearns (Paul) of La Verne, California and Janet Easton of Brentwood, California, as well as many beloved nieces, nephews and cousins.

A funeral mass will take place Saturday, October 26, 2024 at 10:30 am, at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church, 7650 Territorial Road, Plymouth, Michigan, followed by a luncheon at the church. All are welcome. Dorothy loved gatherings and would say please come as you are. There will be a viewing beforehand in the church vestibule from 9:30-10:30am.  

As an expression of sympathy, donations in Dorothy’s honor may be made to the Dorothy A. Grant Scholarship Fund through the Schoolcraft College Foundation. using this link:  https://bit.ly/scfdagrant