Obituaries 3-12

Gordon Walker Grant

Gordon Walker Grant passed away March 9, 2010, in Miramar Beach. He was born in Dallas, Texas on Dec. 21, 1931, to James and Gladys Grant at Parkland Hospital. During his high school days at Crozier Tech, he played baseball and basketball. He also dappled in art, creating sculptures from clay. Gordon went on to North Texas State where he graduated with a B.B.A. in 1954. He was a member of the Talons Fraternity, which later evolved into the chapter of The KA’s, and began his love for golf. He always said that his claim to fame was knowing Don January, a fraternity brother who became a professional golfer and life-time friend. While attending North Texas State, he served in the Naval Academy in the Naval Air Reserve. After graduating from college, he served as a first lieutenant in the Air Force at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma.

He began his career in 1958 as a sales representative for The Tennant Company. In fact he met his wife, Brenda Williams while making a sales demonstration at Texas Instruments. They married in 1965, had a daughter, Kendall, in 1967 and a son, Gordon Jr., in 1969.  The family moved from Dallas to Chicago to Boston before settling in Atlanta in 1975 where Gordon started the Southern Region of The Tennant Company as the Senior Regional Operations Manager and served as a member of the board of directors.

He spent his free time playing tennis at Vermack and earned a few Alta championship titles. He finally retired in 1993 and resumed his love of golf, achieving a hole in one. We were skeptical but this was confirmed by our long life neighbor and friend Tom Cooper. Gordon and Brenda settled to Destin in 1995 where they quickly became professional beach bums. He always loved all thing Texas style, especially the Cowboys and Long Horns. He was often heard saying, “Hook ‘em Horns!”

Gordon exemplified honesty and integrity. He truly walked his walk and talked his talk. He prided himself on being a devoted and loving husband and father. He was a man who never met a stranger and could always be counted on to do the right thing. He was notorious for his keen sense of humor and dry wit, as all the folks, especially the ladies, at Resurrection Catholic Church, Ace Hardware, UPS Store, Regions Bank, Callahan’s and Bayside Cleaners can tell you. Gordon loved living on the beach, enjoyed taking walks, and watching the sunset with family, friends and a good martini. He also loved swing music, was a great dancer and even knew The Texas Two Step.

Gordon will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 44 years, Brenda, his “one and only”; daughters, Linda Larson and Kendall Grant and son Gordon Jr.; three grandchildren, Erik, Jim and Diana; Brenda’s twin brother Bobby Williams and his wife Diana; his sister-in-law, Patsy Watson and brother-in-law Jess Johnson.

A Memorial Mass will be held in his honor at 10:30 a.m. March 15 at Resurrection Catholic Church, 259 Miramar Beach Drive. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Resurrection Catholic Church Building Fund.

Bettie Bourne Driver Newell

Bettie Bourne Driver Newell, of Destin Fla., died March 11, 2010 after a six month illness.

She was born in Lexington, Ky., and was a graduate of Virginia Intermont College. She retired from Universal Leaf Tobacco Co in 1983, and moved to the Destin area in 1992.

Bettie is preceded in death by parents, Thomas and Elizabeth Driver; husbands, Chester Beeler and Paul Newell; brother, Sonny Driver; and grandson, Christopher Beeler.

Survivors include sons, Skip Beeler and wife, Linda and Champ Beeler and wife, Karen; sister, Jane Owen and husband, Austin; granddaughter, Melissa Beeler; and beloved dog, Plaid.

A celebration of life will be held in the Club Room of Inlet Reef Club, 506 Gulf Shore Drive in Destin, from 5 to 7 p.m. March 16.

Memorials can be made to your favorite Humane Society in honor of Bettie.

To express condolences and share memories, please visit www.daviswakins.com.