Val Grant

Logan, Utah – On the last day of summer, September 21, 2026, C. Val Grant, passed away in the home he shared with his life-long love and wife Susie. He wasn’t known for doing anything too quickly but he did know when it was time to wrap things up. Susie and his daughter Lisa were with him when he decided to go.

The week before, Val, Susie, and family were treated to a backyard bird spectacle. Susie brought Val his binoculars and the family watched the nuthatches, cedar waxwings, robins, goldfinches, chickadees, and the (blasted) starlings gather and give the birdman a farewell show.

C. Val Grant was born on August 12, 1940, in Kansas City, Missouri. His parents, Carey Daisy Coffman Grant of Chillicothe, Missouri, and Corbert Vincent Grant, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians of Belcourt, North Dakota, adopted him at two weeks old. Val said he was lucky to be adopted because he always knew he was truly wanted. A year later, Carey and Corbert adopted another young Missourian, Val’s younger sister, Carol Grant Thomas.

Val’s childhood began on the Keams Canyon Hopi Reservation in Arizona where his folks were teachers. Val had a Hopi nanny and was kept on a cradle board until he was walking. Growing up, he liked showing off his flat head. From Keams Canyon they moved to Santa Monica, California. Val recalls stepping outside with his mom and little sister to bang pots and pans as the news spread that World War II was over. The Grant Family eventually made Denver, Colorado home. His boyhood included a Catholic education, early morning paper route, sneaking into the Denver Zoo, and much needed (and later absorbed) lessons in morality and empathy from his parents and one particular nun he fondly remembered.

Val’s most enduring memory was meeting a smart, hazel-eyed beauty at an eight-grade graduation party. Her name was Susie Roberts. Val made Susie, a no-nonsense Catholic girl, laugh and laugh. Eventually they started going steady. Susie was sixteen-years-old when she knew Val was “the one.” On June 9, 1962, they tied the knot.

Val, educated by the Jesuits at Regis College in Denver, loved being a student. He loved it so much that six years later he received his BS in Biology. By then, Susie had already graduated from nursing school. With their educations completed, it was time to start a family. In just five years, they were the happy-frazzled parents of three amazing and brilliant children, Charlie, Christy, and Lisa.

After graduating, Val was hired by the Fish and Wildlife Department in Denver. Val’s boss, a PhD, took him birdwatching for the first time. Val was hooked. He encouraged Val to apply to Utah State University’s doctoral program in Wildlife Biology. Val was accepted.

In 1970, he and Susie loaded the kids into their VW Beetle and left Denver for Logan, Utah. Val grew a beard, grew his hair out, and wore a juniper bead necklace. He reveled in the freedom of being someplace utterly new. Val loved being back in school, working hard, and really taking his time on things. And take his time he did. On campus one day, one of Val’s doctoral committee professors told him they were thinking about making him “the first graduate student with tenure.” Val got the message and wrapped things up. In 1977, he finished his degree and USU awarded him a PhD in Wildlife Biology. He was forever proud of this accomplishment.

After working for the feds, Val knew he needed to be his own boss. Degree in hand, he and a partner started an environmental consulting firm, Bio-Resources. Much to his own surprise, he had a thriving and successful business.

Val was a stalwart supporter of the community. He held leadership positions in the Bridgerland Audubon Society and CAPSA, he was a regular in the Cache Valley Christmas Bird Count, he counted raptors in the Eastern Oregon Raptor Survey. He was even an active member Rotary Club.

He was perhaps best known as the infamous tie-dye clad auctioneer for the Planned Parenthood Chocolate Festival, Stokes Nature Center, and CAPSA. Val always loved an audience, whether it was one or one-hundred. He raised thousands of dollars and the auctioneer gig have him a captive audience for his latest jokes.

Val’s support of the community wasn’t limited to fundraisers. He was nature evangelist, mentor to aspiring biologists, and a push-over landlord. At the Bird House, rent was cheap. If you were a tenant short on rent, exceptions were made. He was a regular attendee at fund raisers. At the end of the night, he was the guy who purchased art that hadn’t received any bids.

Val loved life and he lived life. He floated the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. He camped the Black Rock Desert for Burning Man. Susie and Val traveled the world to watch birds and view wildlife – the Galapagos Islands and South Africa were highlights. They took the kids and grandkids on adventures to Anguilla, Europe, Hawaii, and Morocco.

Val leaves behind his loving wife and caregiver, Susie Roberts Grant, his son Charlie, (Rosey Hastings), and his daughters Christy, (David Young) and Lisa, (Brett Johnson). His two radiant granddaughters, Aseeya Grant-Aitahmad and Anastasia Trumm will especially miss him. His sister Carol Thomas, (Charlie Amsler), much loved nieces, nephews and in-laws. And his abundance of dear friends will mourn his loss.

Please raise a glass of your favorite sprit, maybe light a cigar, and toast Val.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Stokes Nature Center or CAPSA.

Val’s Farewell Toast will be held at the Logan Country Club, 710 N 1500 E, Logan, UT, Sunday, November 8th from 1:00 – 3:00.

Tie-dye or bright colors encouraged.

Attending Val’s Farewell Toast? Please respond here.

Questions? Contact Christy Grant at grant.christy@gmail.com.