Obituary of Gary Grant

Memorial services for Gary D. Grant, 72, of Abernathy, TX, were held at 10:00 am Wednesday, July 16, 2008, in the First United Methodist Church with Rev. Steve Campbell and Brian Brownlow officiating. Cremation and services were under the direction of Abell Funeral Home and Flower Shop of Abernathy, TX. He was born October 22, 1935 and died at his home Sunday morning, July 13, 2008. He married Betty Lee Jacobs on March 4, 1960 in Billings, Montana, and has been an Abernathy resident since 1962. He purchased his first water well drilling rigs in 1963 and formed Grant and Taylor Drilling, the predecessor of Hi Plains Drilling, Inc. which was established in 1968. Gary had been President and Chairman of the Board since its inception. He was co-founder of Global Pumps and Equipment, a wholesale pump distributor, located in Abernathy, TX, with six other locations and was President and Chairman of the Board of the Corporation. He was elected to the Texas Ground Water Association Board of Directors in 1977, and served as Secretary/Treasurer in 1980, Vice President in 1981, President Elect in 1982 and President in 1983-1984. In 1984, he was appointed to the Texas Water Well Drillers Board and was elected Chairman of the Board in September of 1988. In 1990 he was reappointed to t he Drillers Board and served as Chairman again from 1994 until 1995. In 1989 Gary received "Driller of the Year" from the Texas Ground Water Association. He was a charter member of the Country Coach Texans Motorhome Club. He was involved in his local community by serving on the Abernathy City Council, from 1983 until 1989 he served as Mayor Pro-Tem. He was also a member of the First United Methodist Church in Abernathy and was a member of the Abernathy and Lubbock Masonic Lodge and he was a member of the Khiva Shrine. Survivors are his wife, Betty of Abernathy, TX, a son, Ken Grant and his wife Rhonda of Lubbock, TX, a daughter, Kim Ford and her husband Gregg of Abernathy, TX, a brother, Gayln Grant and his wife Hallie of Lubbock, TX and 4 granddaughters, Sarah and Lisa Grant and Ashlee and Whitney Ford. The family suggests memorials be sent to the Shriners Childrens Hospital, Galveston Burn Unit, 815 Market Street, Galveston, TX 77550 or the Texas Ground Water Assoc. Scholarship Fund, 221 E. 9th Street, Suite 206, San Jacinto, Bldg, Austin, TX 78701 Abell Funeral Home