Esmie Grant

Ms. Esmie Candace Grant, devoted mother and faithful member of the First Seventh Day Adventist Church and community, went home to be with the Lord on April 18, 2023. She will forever be missed.
Ms. Grant was born on June 4, 1925, in Duanvale Trelawny, Jamaica to Icilda East and Sean Gardener. Her parents were hardworking farmers. While in her early youth, Ms. Grant moved to Brampton Trelawny where she attended Brampton Trelawny Primary School. She lived in Brampton Trelawny up until migrating to the United States in the early 1960’s. Upon reaching the United States, she first arrived in New York city, but her stay there was short. She thereafter moved to Washington DC before eventually settling in Maryland, where she lived the remainder of her life.

Ms. Grant was very ambitious and hardworking. Throughout her life she held multiple jobs and was a resourcefully industrious woman. One job which she held for many years was her employment with the Aronstein Family. The Aronstein’s and Ms. Grant grew to be very close. She deeply loved them, as they did her. She considered the Aronstein’s an extension to her family, and they remained very close throughout the rest of her life.

While Ms. Grant was still employed with the Aronstein’s, Ms. Grant aspired to further her education and so she attended school to obtain her Nursing Assistance License. It was upon receiving her Nursing Assistance License that she secured a Nursing job at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland where she was employed for over 20 years before permanently retiring.

Ms. Grant joined the First Seventh Day Adventist Church after first moving to DC. She was an active member of the church who deeply loved her church community. She was gifted at helping others and was always happy to be in service. She served her church in various roles throughout the years; Choir, Deaconess, Usher, Prayer-Line Lead; she also volunteered in various other capacities, all for which she will be deeply missed. Ms. Grant was always willing to lend and show support whenever and wherever needed.

Ms. Grant had many great passions in life. She loved the Lord. She loved her children. She loved her church and was an avid church member. She loved serving her church community. She loved reading, writing, learning, playing the piano, exercising, gardening, singing, cooking, baking, serving on the Prayer Line, praying for loved ones, and spending time with her family and loved ones.

Throughout Ms. Grant’s life she adopted many people into her family. She was an adopted mother, grandmother, sister, and aunt to many, all of whom she loved like her own. She was selfless, kind-hearted, and a loving person that despite her own family, always made time for everyone. Her momentous love stretched far and wide. Her fierce love is terribly missed.

Ms. Grant is survived by her four children, Hyacinth Todd, Errol Grant, Eartha Morris, and Constance Grant-Allen; her two living sisters, Sonia Slyfield and Euphemia Isaacs; her fourteen grandchildren, Andrew, Luciena, Anthony, Josephine Grant, Rodetta, Kimberly, Neketa, Iquero, Naielia, Tashiekia, Irejah, Iniejah, Ieshia, Nashanti; and twenty-three great grandchildren, CeMone, Jonah, Jacob, Alex, Anderson, Greyson, Kalia, Konya, Kye, Keloni (*Keylijah), Kelijah, Kyeliya, Khalessi, Natalie, Zaida, Aaliyana, Xyon, Jahye, Justin, Jacob, Jeremiah, Ryan (*Riley); and
many nieces and nephews.

Dear Grandma,
You are loved and deeply missed. Oh, how we cherish every warm kiss you’ve ever given us. We cherish every prayer, hug, kind and lifting words. We cherish your keen intuition, dream interpretations, and your wise direction. We cherish your gentleness and soft hands, your wisdom and wit. We cherish your grace and compassion. We cherish your smile. We cherish watching you dance and laughing from your belly. We cherish your mash banana and dumpling; and your easter bun and pudding. We cherish and miss you Grandma, terribly. You have loved us fiercely all our lives. You have sacrificed beyond your limitations and achieved for yourself more than anyone could have imagined for you. You gracefully mastered life and overcame its challenges by faith, prayer, and incomprehensible resilience. We are so proud of you. You left behind shoes that will never be filled. We are grieved to no end. We cannot bare to not have you one more day. Your mortality perplexes and vexes us. We all ask ourselves, what will we do without you? How will we go on without you? How, just how?! Our only comfort is in our memories, the privilege to have shared a life with you; and to know that one day we will see you again. Thank you, Grandma, for loving us so deeply, for teaching us about Jesus and the importance of us being saved. Your unwavering faith in Jesus and endless prayers have covered us all. Thank you for your guidance. Thank you for lovingly supporting all that we do. Thank you for your correction, to point out when
we are doing wrong, but always with love and forgiveness. Grandma, we miss you. Nothing and no one compares to your advice, your smile, your laugh, and your praying hands. No one compares to you. What will we do?

What will we do? We know that you are watching over us and we feel when you are near. You will forever be here with us, in our hearts. Rest in peace Grandma. We miss and forever love you. Bless God, we will see each other again.

Our Eternal Love,
Ms. Esmie Grant’s Family

The Grant Family would like donations to go to:

The First Seventh Day Adventist Church Building Fund

810 Shepherd Street NW

Washington, DC 20011