Grant Cayton

Grant Cayton was born in Tacoma, WA on May 11, 1942 and passed away on August 7, 2013 in Tacoma, WA. He is preceded in death by his parents Forrest and Betty Cayton and his sister Mary Homeyer. He is survived by his wife Chris; five children, Brian, Jim, Lyn, Connie (and son-in-law Kevin), and Cortney (and son-in-law Shane); and seven grandchildren, Maris, McRae, Connor, Carson, Karter, Kellan, and Hailey. Grant was a wonderful husband and a good and decent man that everyone admired. He adored his wife Chris, who was by his side for the past 30+ years. Being the true family man he was, he maintained a wonderful friendship with his ex-wife Donna (his sons' mother) until the day he passed. He missed his parents, Forrest and Betty, terribly each day. They set the foundations and principles that guided how he lived his life. He found the Lord and is now with him. Grant was a simple man with compassion for others. He loved his family, friends, and hobbies. He never aspired to be something he wasn’t. He never waited for a better life to come to him. He was content with what he had. Life was too short for him to go on an endless search for temporary happiness or a pie in the sky. It was the people around him that mattered, not things. He took the life he had in front of him and made that one better. And because of that stability and commitment, everyone else around him benefited from his presence. Grant was retired from the US Army and National Guard. He served three tours in Vietnam, a war that hurt him but probably changed him for the better, which was a rare perspective at that time. It humbled him greatly and added perspective. He was a true American Hero. Grant was also a firefighter for the University Place Fire Department (just like his father), a paramedic, and a school bus driver, not to mention the many other roles he played in his life, including wood worker, mechanic, builder, and more. Today, we move forward. Our family is better for having had him in our lives. He is a man no one will ever forget. We will gather and celebrate the life of Grant R. Cayton on Tuesday, August 13, 2013, at 11:00am at Life Center Church at 1717 S. Union Ave, Tacoma, WA 98405. Reception to follow. We also invite you to join us at the gravesite ceremony on Wednesday the 14th at 1:15pm at Tahoma National Cemetery at 18600 SE 240th St, Kent, WA, 98042. Please arrive 30 minutes prior to start of this ceremony as we are told it will stay true to military formality and start exactly on time and last exactly 30 minutes (Grant would love that!). Any donations would be appreciated to Franciscan Hospice House, 2901 Bridgeport Way W, University Place, WA 98466.