Edwin LaMarr Grant, better known as Eggo to many, passed peacefully into the arms of his Savior on Thursday, April 2, 2020, from complications after having suffered a devastating fall at his home. His 77 years were marked with a love for his family and an enthusiasm for history, sports, and politics.
Ed was born on February 24th, 1943, and was personally chosen and adopted from the Nashville Children’s Home at the age of six months by the late Percy and Myrtle Grant. He and his three siblings grew up in Daisy, Tennessee, and he graduated from Soddy Daisy High School.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Tennessee Technological University. He later went on to earn a Master’s in Education Administration and Supervision from Tennessee Tech as well. Ed taught one year at Central High School before transferring to the new J.B. Brown Middle School in 1967, where he carried out his 38-year career teaching Tennessee and American history. He is a member of Tyner United Methodist Church.
While teaching at J.B. Brown he met and fell in love with Wanda Barkley, who taught home economics. They were married on August 10th, 1974, and later had two children, Todd and Kerri. His children described him as someone who would do anything for them and who continually told them he loved them. He instilled in them the ethics of hard work and the Golden Rule, and helped lead them to a faith in Christ. He is remembered as tough as nails physically, but tender-hearted.
The other love he found at Brown Middle School was coaching sports. He coached both boys Jr. Varsity and Varsity basketball teams from 1969-1972. He served as the boys’ Varsity basketball coach for 30 seasons, beginning in 1972. It was during his early coaching years that he was given the nickname “Eggo” by several players, and the name stuck. Throughout his time as coach, Brown Middle was named HCAC League Champions four times, HCAC League Runner-up eight times, HCAC Tournament Champions five times, HCAC Tournament Runner-up four times, and had two undefeated seasons (1986/1987 and 1999/2000). He was named HCAC Coach of the Year seven times. From 1991-2003, his basketball teams won 75% of games played.
He coached baseball for 27 seasons, beginning in 1975. He personally built the field, which was named in his honor in 1987. During his time as coach, Brown Middle was named HCAC League Champions five times, HCAC League Runner-up seven times, HCAC Tournament Champions three times, HCAC Tournament Runner-up twice, and had two undefeated seasons (1991/1992 and 1999/2000). He was named HCAC Coach of the Year six times. Brown’s winning percentage was 0.64 during his tenure as coach.
He served as an assistant football coach periodically and sometimes kept the books or ran the game clock. Coaching brought him so much joy both while coaching and later when reminiscing. He was always quick to credit his success with having had talented players.
Upon retirement, he remained connected to his love of baseball by working on the Chattanooga Lookouts ground crew for 10 years. He and Wanda also enjoyed going on several trips with the Tyner UMC Travelers, babysitting their two youngest grandkids for periods of time, as well as attending grandchildren’s sporting events. He also enjoyed doing yard work and attending sporting event.
Ed bravely battled Parkinson’s Disease the last five years of his life. He regularly attended the Rock Steady Boxing program at the YMCA. Ultimately it was a disease that his family and friends saw steal part of his memory and a lot of his spirit and sparkle - what made him Eggo to so many.
He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Wanda; children, Todd Grant (Jennifer) and Kerri Culpepper (Brian) of Chattanooga; sister Beth Nelson of Hixson; brother Charles Grant of Soddy Daisy; sister Elsie Blalock (Lloyd) of Prospect Hill, North Carolina; and grandchildren, Alicia, Luke, Noah, and Micah.
The family will have a private ceremony. His body will be interned at Hamilton Memorial Gardens. Due to COVID-19, a celebration of Ed’s life and passions will occur at a later time to be determined.
The family would like to thank staff of Erlanger’s TICU and Hospice Comfort Care of Chattanooga for their care of Ed and ensuring comfort in his in final days.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to the either the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research at Grand Central Station, P.O. Box 4777, New York, NY 10163-4777 or
www.michaeljfox.org or Tyner United Methodist Church, 6805 Standifer Gap Road, Chattanooga, TN 37421.
Arrangements are by the Valley View Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, crematory & Florist, 7414 Old Lee Highway.
Please share your memories of Ed with the family at: ChattanoogaVlleyViewChapel.com