Sam Grant, Jr., PhD, 1930-2024, was Professor of History
Samuel Becker Grant, Jr., PhD, professor of history at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, died on Tuesday, July 2, 2024. He was 93.
Born in St. Louis, Mo. on August 12, 1930, to Sam and Natalie Grant, he grew up in Clayton, a St. Louis suburb. After graduating from Williams College, Grant taught English at Roberts College in Istanbul, Turkey. This inspired years of discovery and study in the Middle East, while living in Cairo, Aleppo and Jerusalem.
Grant kept company with Egyptian writers, Israeli socialists and Palestinian National Council members. He attended the University of Michigan and earned a PhD in Middle Eastern languages and literature.
Grant taught as a professor of history at SIUE for more than 30 years.
“Sam was a wonderful colleague and mentor, always smiling and jovial, kind and caring,” said Allison Thomason, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of History.
After retirement, Grant continued to teach at the lifelong learning institute at Washington University in St. Louis, exploring Islamic art and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Grant is survived by his wife, Patricia, two sons, Chris (Georgiana) and Dave (Tori), four nieces, sister-in-law Christine Smithee, his grandchildren Clio, Helen and Nellie, and multiple grandnieces and grandnephews. He was preceded in death by his mother Natalie, father Sam and his two brothers.
In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to the Lovejoy Library.
The family will receive guests at Lupton Chapel, 7233 Delmar Boulevard, University City on Saturday, Aug. 3, from the hours of 2 p.m.-5p.m. Read Samuel’s complete obituary on the Lupton Chapel website.
