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Dr. Wilmer Grant, Jr.

July 29, 1940 ~ March 27, 2022 (age 81)

Dr. Wilmer Grant, Jr., age 81, of Statesboro, GA., passed away on Sunday, March 27, 2022 at Select Specialty Hospital in Savannah, GA. A memorial celebration of life will be held on June 18, 2022 starting at 11:00a.m.

Dr. Wilmer Grant, Jr. was an Associate Professor Emeritus of Physics at Georgia Southern University, where he taught from 1982 to 2002 and received the Professor of the Year award in 1986. He earned his B.A. from Hampton University in 1962 where he was a member of the swim team and the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, serving as Vice President of Alpha Phi Alpha in 1962. Dr. Grant served as an officer in the U.S. Army, prior to continuing his education. He earned his M.S. from Indiana University in 1967, and his Ph.D. from Indiana University in 1974.

In addition to his love of teaching and tutoring, he was active in numerous community organizations and instrumental in numerous community endeavors. A few organizations he volunteered with include the Optimist Club where he served as the president, vice president, and chairperson of Oratorical contests. He served as a Board Member and Board Chairperson of the Statesboro Parks and Recreation Society and was instrumental in the development of ‘Splash in the ‘Boro!’ waterpark and aquatics center. A swimmer himself, he served as the President of the Statesboro Swim Team Parents Organization and Vice President of the Statesboro High School Swimming Boosters Organization. He officiated at age group, high school, and Georgia Southern swim meets. He tutored, mentored, served as a floor manager in local elections, and contributed to the local community in countless other ways.

He loved music and attended undergraduate school on a music scholarship. He was passionate about the reproduction of sound with clarity and this passion led to him design and install sound systems in many churches, and provide audio equipment for many events in the Statesboro and Savannah areas.

He loved fishing, gardening, traveling, and spending time with friends and family. He was a husband, father, grandfather, friend, teacher, and mentor; and today, for the many that knew and loved him, there is a hole in the world that is Dr. Wilmer Grant Jr. sized.

He is survived by his wife, Dr. Dale Grant; children, Dietre (Rory Ffrench), Dr. Nikki Grant- (Dr. Aaron) Hoffman and Mark Grant; grandchildren, Evan Ffrench, Elijah Ffrench, Walter Hoffman, Anders Hoffman and Essinam Hoffman. And numerous relatives, friends, and students.

A memorial celebration of life will be held on June 18, 2022 starting at 11:00a.m. If you would like more information, please contact Dr. Dale Grant at 912-541-0173 via text that starts with Re: Wil. The family looks forward to hearing from you.

If you would like to send donations in Dr. Grant’s name please send them to the Physics Department at Georgia Southern University through the Georgia Southern Foundation (https://advancement.georgiasouthern.edu/). You can give a ‘restricted gift’ to the Physics Department. You can also make a donation to the International Waldenstrom’s Macrogobulinemia Foundation (https://iwmf.com/), which is the cancer Dr. Grant battled for 20 years.

Funeral arrangement are handled by Craig R. Tremble Funeral Home.