Grant M. Wallin

Grant Marshall Wallin was born in Chicago, Illinois on September 2, 1934, where he grew up the youngest of five siblings, Patricia, John, Alice, and Edward. He moved his family to Texas where he lived the good life for over 50 years.

He passed away Tuesday, May 24, 2022, in Tyler, Texas, with his family by his side, leaving behind his loving wife, Rosamae "Rosie" Slape Wallin, and beloved daughter Sharon Wallin Romano, son-in-law Jason, his grandchildren Kate and Lex, sister Patricia Meiss (San Diego, CA), brother John Wallin (Arlington Heights, IL), sister-in-law Mary Lois (Gary) Roybal (Albuquerque, NM), sister-in-law Alice Slape (Loganville, GA). He is survived by several loving cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

Grant was preceded in death by his parents, Alice and Grant Wallin, brother Edward, sister Alice Wallin Roth, and special brother-in-law Joe Slape.

He was a member of B.P.O.E. for over 20 years, most recently serving as a longtime member of Elks Lodge #71 in Dallas.

A true renaissance man, Grant, was a tenor saxophone player who served as a member of the Army band touring Europe in the 1950s. He continued his career as a musician in Chicago where he had the opportunity to sit in with Johnny Cash among others. He enjoyed composing music and jazz was his real love.

He still read an old-school encyclopedia at age 87, wrote short stories most of his life, and enjoyed reading the works of classic Russian authors and numerous philosophers. He read and re-read Somerset Maugham, and loved to discuss literature, especially with his granddaughter, Kate. This year he was working on his first novel.

He often played his sax in the corner of a room so he could hear himself and he taught himself to play the piano. He was always the smartest man in the room but loved to sit with one person in a crowd and share thoughts and ideas, he did the crossword every day, loved dark chocolate and Hershey kisses, The Chicago Bears, and loved and adored his Rosie and Sugar Lump, Sharon. He is already greatly missed.

A celebration of his life will take place Saturday, September 3rd in Arp, Texas. If you would like to attend, please email sromano@highhillfarm for details and directions. In lieu of flowers please consider donating to the charity of your choice or plant a tree in his memory.

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