Obituary: Grant Averill

Bountiful - Grant Dodson Averill was born in Gary, Indiana on April 30, 1949. The third son of Raymond and Bernice (Thomas) Averill. He died December 21, 2023, at his home in Bountiful, UT after a valiant battle against prostate cancer.

Grant grew up in Hobart, Indiana and graduated from Hobart High School, class of 1967. Grant stayed lifetime friends with many classmates and their families. Until the past year, Grant made many monthly trips back to Indiana for lunch with these friends.

Grant enlisted in the US Air Force in 1968 and worked as a medic in the USAF Hospital. He graduated from Eastern New Mexico University in 1976 with a Bachelors and Master degrees in Elementary Education. He taught in the public schools in Lovington, Portales, and Clovis New Mexico, retiring in 1998. He then moved to Utah and taught in the elementary schools in Clearfield, Kaysville, and Woods Cross, UT before retiring again. He also retired from Southwest Airlines. During his career, Grant was revered as a master teacher. He had a gift for making all of his students feel valued- no matter their background or reputation, they were treated with kindness and respect. Grant's most notable teaching tool was his incorporation of the theater arts into his curriculum. His classroom plays (many of them from Shakespeare) were performed in front of students and family and gave students the opportunity for positive expression and self-esteem. Grant's students will always remember him as "Mr. A". He made a lasting positive influence on hundreds of lives and is a true hero in the teaching profession. He was an extremely gifted and much requested teacher. He loved all of his students equally. "Never forget that you are special to someone."

Grant loved to travel and traveled to 43 foreign countries and six continents.

Grant is proceeded in death by his parents, and J. Richard Waite, his former companion of 43 years. Grant is survived by his two older brothers, Raymond (Nancy) and Charles (Elaine) Averill, two nieces and one nephew, two great nieces and two great nephews. Grant is also survived by his loving companion of 11 years, Brett A. Handy. He also leaves behind his much-loved dog, Spartacus. He is also survived by Brett's daughter Faith, and Richard's children Todd Waite, Colleen Schumacher, Janeen Lish, David Waite, Kalani Reed and Jennifer Burstedt.

Grant did not want a funeral. However, due to the large influence Grant made on his students, parents, co-workers, friends and family, an informal celebration of life will be held on Saturday, February 10th, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. at City View Mortuary 1001 East 11th Avenue, SLC . Private interment for family and close friends will be held after. Grant's wish was to be cremated with his remains divided and interred with Richard in the Hyde Park, UT cemetery; and in the Bountiful, UT cemetery in anticipation of Brett's future passing. In lieu of flowers, Grant would have preferred you donate to a local charity of your choosing.

Brett would appreciate and encourage any friends, family, and especially Grant's students, to leave a brief memory of Grant and his influence on their lives below.

There are no words to describe the vast hole that has been created in our lives and hearts with his passing. That hole can only begin to be filled with the vast love Grant had for everyone he came into contact with.