Richmond Horton Grant

Richmond Horton Grant finished his final assignment and turned in his life’s thesis on Jan. 21, 2021. He was 92.
Born in Los Angeles, California in 1928, he was the third child of John and Hannabelle Grant. His older sister, the late Judge Isabella Grant of San Francisco, was always looking out for her “baby” brother. The loss of his older brother, Horton, when Rich was 16, impacted him greatly. His uncle, Hollywood character actor Edward Everett Horton, would also be a major influence in his young life.

His childhood summers were spent at the family house on Lake George, NY and he returned several times to relive and share his happy memories. He graduated from Harvard High School, N. Hollywood, in 1946 and Amherst College in 1950 with a B.A in History and membership in the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. As an educator and school administrator, he taught English and influenced thousands of “grubby urchins” for the next 35 years, first at Harvard School, at Corvallis High School and finally at the Corvallis Elementary School in Montana.

He was drafted into the US Army in 1952 during the Korean conflict and served two years in Germany, being discharged in Dec. 1954 as a corporal and continuing in the Army Reserve leaving with the rank of sergeant. He returned to teaching at Harvard School until he answered a “higher calling” attending seminary at Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley from 1959 until graduation with a Master of Divinity in 1961.
In August 1961 he married his love and best friend, Pamela Elfers Comfort, and moved her and her sons, Jeffrey and Mark, back to Los Angeles resuming his teaching at Harvard School and became assistant rector at St. Nicholas Episcopal Church in Encino.

In 1975 he answered the “call of the wild” moving to the West Fork south of Darby to begin the next chapter of his life. He taught at the Corvallis High School and was principal of Corvallis Elementary until he retired in 1990. He continued to rector at St. Matthias Anglican Church in Hamilton until his retirement from the church in 2001.

Backpacking, fly fishing and playing music were his escapes of choice. There were many backpacking adventures with his students and his sons on the John Muir trail in the Sierras even completing thru-hiking the entire trail in 1957. He continued hiking the Bitterroot Mountains through his seventies.
He and Pamela enjoyed gardening, traveling and spending time with family, friends and pets. He was preceded in death by his beloved Pam, and is survived by his two sons, Jeff (Cathy), Mark (Tara), four grandsons and six great grandchildren.

Cremation has taken place and per his request, no formal services will be held and his remains will be scattered by his family at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Humane Society or to a Veterans organization of choice.