Rep. Bill Grant, "shining example"

State Rep. Bill Grant died Sunday (Jan. 4) at a Walla Walla hospital, about a month after being diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer.

A Walla Walla native, Rep. Grant, 71, the only Democrat in the state House from rural Eastern Washington, was re-elected in November to serve the 16th Legislative District, which covers Walla Walla and Columbia counties, as well as parts of Benton and Franklin counties. He served for 22 years.

Rep. Grant was first elected as a conservative Democrat in 1986. He had been involved in politics on a local level before defeating Republican Brad Fisher for the seat vacated by Doc Hastings.

His platform included promotion and protection for Southeastern Washington farmers, as well as improving the educational system and advocating for small businesses.

A 1959 Whitman College graduate and fourth-generation wheat farmer, Rep. Grant also served his fellow House Democrats as part of their leadership team as caucus chair. Colleagues considered him to be a knowledgeable and spirited public servant.

They had noticed his deteriorating health and weight loss over the past year. A former smoker, Rep. Grant quit the habit several years ago, according to those close to him.

However, the cancer he suffered from is reportedly not typically associated with smoking, but with particulate matter such as comes from working in agriculture or mining.

Walla Walla resident Dave Mastin, a former Republican representative who worked with Rep. Grant, remembered him as a giant of state government.

"He was just such a tremendous man and politician," Mastin said. "He was a shining example of someone who could get along with everybody."

Mastin added that he probably served with 300 people during his tenure and Rep. Grant was "singularly responsible for the sense of camaraderie and friendship you could have between party lines and geographical lines."

Although Rep. Grant was an influential force in many state issues, he was a particularly strong advocate for agriculture in a caucus with few people familiar with the industry, Mastin said.

Rep. Grant was calm, down-to-earth and "a steady rock," Mastin said, recalling that someone once commented: "He's just an old farmer. He gets on the tractor and drives straight."

Rep. Grant's colleague, state Rep. Maureen Walsh, R-College Place, said he will be remembered as a respected and much-loved statesman who worked in a bipartisan manner to accomplish goals for his district.

Rep. Grant is survived by his wife of nearly 50 years, four children and 11 grandchildren.

Union-Bulletin editorial-page editor Rick Eskil and reporter Terry McConn contributed to this report.