Grant Wesley Hayne was born March 3, 1962 in East Chicago, IN, the son of Wilbur L. Hayne Jr. and Jane V. (Barr) Hayne. Grant was a unique young man with many talents. He skipped a year of high school, graduated as salutatorian, and played number-one singles on the varsity tennis team all three years.

A year younger than most of his classmates, Grant lettered in tennis and squash. Even though he was constantly pressed for time to keep up with his studies and excel in sports, his strong discipline and competitive spirit ensured success. His dry sense of humor and wit left the swift laughing and most of us wondering “What did he say?” and smiling later when we figured it out. In academics he was a star, and we wondered how he made the Fourier Transform seem like basic addition.

Grant generally confused teammates with quick, quiet Doctor Demento-style humor, reading books in the traveling van that hurt our heads. Grant might look out of place as a cadet— sloppy uniform, cap askew—but we were awed by how he threw himself into every match, against every opponent. The squash team loved how he could flick his wrist, killing that dead ball with devious angles only he could see, driving his opponents crazy. He was our Grant, our teammate, our battle buddy—slightly out of place, but always in step.

To say Grant was competitive is an understatement. A close friend once remarked that whenever four Haynes played together “there will be blood” on the court as no Hayne enjoyed losing. The siblings would go after each other on the courts in singles, but Grant, being a decade younger, was always kind enough to let his brothers win a few games.

He kept playing tennis, even after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1996. He was remarkable in his stoicism and refusal to let the disease get the best of him. His grace and quiet dignity in the face of increasing disability were truly awe inspiring. He was a champion on the tennis court and off and was an inspiration to everyone who knew him.

Grant was very generous and freely shared one of his prize possessions, a 1974 blue Corvette. He bought it used from his oldest brother and asked another brother to drive it out from Indiana. He lent it during firstie year to underclassmen to pick up dates for events like 500th Night. They remember that he “never knew” of his pride and joy gunning down Route 17 headed south or of an “accidental” wheelie on a snowy cliff near Smith Rink. That blue Corvette was Grant—a generous, talented, one-off, trusting soul who would hold tight around life’s every bend, no matter what.

Upon graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Grant branched Armor and served in the 3/67Armor Battalion at Fort Hood, TX from 1984 to 1989. He resigned his commission in 1989 at the rank of captain and joined Sunnex, Inc., a supplier to Toyota USA, as a sales engineer. Grant received an MBA in finance from the University of Cincinnati in 2001 and became the general manager of the parent company of Sunnex, Sunstar Engineering of America.

With his civilian career budding, Grant’s sense of duty and adventure led him back to serving his country with the U.S. State Department. April joined the Foreign Service in 2008, and the family joined her at the U.S. Embassy in Lima, Peru, where Grant volunteered his logistics and supply chain management expertise. His excellent work there led to a position at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City, and then to a job offer in the Civil Service in Washington, DC as the department’s warehouse “guru.”  He traveled around the world, advising embassies on efficient warehouse operations and speaking at conferences. He enjoyed his time in Washington, meeting up with old Army friends, catching up on life, his dreams and hopes for Noah and Sophie, and about his excitement about his next overseas assignment.

From there, Grant joined the Foreign Service and headed out to his first posting in Praia, Cabo Verde, where he again excelled. Life on a remote island can be challenging, but he enjoyed riding his bicycle and camping on the beach. Grant’s colleagues were very fond of him, planting a tree on the embassy grounds in his memory when they learned of his passing.

Grant was a kind and loving husband and father. He supported April’s dream of joining the State Department; he loved the adventure and he wanted his children to see the world. His accepting and encouraging personality were manifested in his children, in their artistic talents, intelligence and their open and worldly viewpoints. His family has great memories of Grant, April, Sophie and Noah at family vacations at their beloved Oglebay Park in West Virginia.

“Grant, you were a kind, thoughtful person who was always fair. You left a lasting legacy, and I will always remember our special times together. My family and I will always love and miss you.”

—Reed Hayne

“My Uncle Grant taught me the value of hard work and humor and most importantly, the importance of examining everything with a critical eye. I am so glad he was a constant presence in both my formative and adult years. To have an uncle I could confide in and have deep conversations with was truly a blessing words cannot measure.”

—Melissa Hayne Loretto

“I am thankful for having him as a friend. I am a better person for that friendship.”                       —Jeff Forgash