Grant was born on January 2, 1943, in San Rafael, and passed away on October 26, 2025, following a short illness.

He was the firstborn child of George and Dorothy O’Neill. Grant grew up in Marin County until age nine, when the family moved to Eureka, where he spent the rest of his life. He loved the outdoors and the beauty of Humboldt County.

From a young age, he took great pride in his work. His first job, delivering newspapers, he took very seriously: he would rise early to wrap the papers, then hop on his bike to deliver them before dawn. His next venture was gathering cascara bark in the woods; after carefully removing the bark, he packaged it to sell to local pharmacies. As a teenager, he also spent time as a commercial fisherman. These experiences shaped the strong work ethic that defined his life.

Grant played Little League and was a strong baseball player. He enjoyed duck hunting in his youth and loved working on the many cars he owned during his teen years, and later, owned a white Corvette that he treasured.

He attended Lincoln Elementary School and graduated from Eureka High School. While at Lincoln, he met one of his closest friends, Gene Hanson. Later on in life they worked together at Louisiana-Pacific Pulp Mill. They remained lifelong friends.

In the 1960s, Grant worked for Del Norte Box. After that business closed, he went to work for Louisiana-Pacific Pulp Mill. In the 1980s, he became co-owner and operator of Discount Tires with his brother-in-law, Lee Hobbs, a business of which he was very proud.

He finished his working career at Schmidbauer Lumber as a forklift driver and retired from Schmidbauer in 2013. Grant made many friends there and stayed in touch even after retirement. Work always came first for him, and it was hard for him to imagine stepping away.

During his first marriage, Grant welcomed his son, Darin, on July 2, 1967. He loved boating and camping, and the family spent many summers at Trinity Lake with relatives and friends.

Several years after his first marriage ended, Grant met the love of his life, Debbie Minns. They were married on Christmas Eve, 1995, and would have celebrated their 30th anniversary this December. They married when Brian and Darin were already adults, and their families blended naturally. Grant and Debbie built a beautiful life together, as best friends who were always devoted to one another. Grant often said Debbie was the best thing that ever happened to him.

Because his family had little when he was growing up, Grant cherished what he worked so hard to have and took excellent care of it. His home was immaculate, his cars were pristine, and his garden, especially the roses, was always beautiful.Grant was a happy man with a great sense of humor who loved helping others. In his neighborhood, he was known as the “Mayor of Montecito.” He was always doing things for his neighbors and anyone else he could help. On trash day, you could regularly see him bringing in everyone’s garbage cans.

He had many friends, too many to count. Out in the community, there was always someone who would stop to talk with him. He loved attending Music by the Bay and visiting with friends. He was loved by many. Grant loved animals, especially his cat, Levi, his best buddy, who will miss him dearly.

He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Dorothy O’Neill, and his brother-in-law, Lee Hobbs.

He is survived by his wife and best friend, Debbie; his son, Darin; his stepson, Brian (Lena); his granddaughter, Brianna Harrison; his sisters, Sharon Soules (Walt Mello) and Peggy Hobbs (Dave Suchar); his sisters-in-law, Shari York (Gary) and Paula Georwick (Gary); his nephew, Lee Hobbs Jr. (Julie); his nieces, Melissa Woods (Rizz), Lindy Hobbs (Fernando), and Natasha James (Tyler); and his cousin, Curtis Cress (Erin). Grant helped raise his granddaughter, Brianna, and loved her deeply. He also had a special bond with his niece, Lindy.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to the neighbors, family and friends who have offered support after Grant’s passing.

In Grant’s memory, please do something kind for someone else, pay it forward, or think of him when you are in your garden. He will be missed forever.

A memorial for close family and friends will be announced at a later time.