Sanoma Dawn Grant (Moore)

Sanoma Dawn Grant was born on June 17, 1941 to Alena Elveree VanCleave and Oscar Alan Moore in Big Spring, Texas. She passed away on October 11, 2024 at Timber Rock House in Midlothian, Texas.

Dawn's mother passed away when she was 7 years old after which she lived with various family members including her father. Despite attending multiple schools, she excelled academically. During the years she lived with her father until he passed away when she was about 16 years old, they lived near the Nance family in Big Spring. Having grown up around the Nances, she was considered one of the "Original Six" Nance children and lived with them the year between her father's death and her marriage to her first husband, Lowell Gish.

Two children were born to Dawn and Lowell: Denise Renee in 1960 and Terry Alan in 1963 on her birthday. With two young children and a husband deployed to Turkey, Dawn started nursing school and completed a master's degree in 4-5 years. Her nursing career included teaching nursing students at TWU in Dallas and Houston Baptist University. She was the chief nursing officer in several hospitals in the Houston area and in Mission, Texas from which she retired.

In 1981, Dawn married Weldon Edward Grant, Jr. known by everyone as "Sonny". She gained three more children at that time--Emily, Jeff and Amy Grant. While teaching at Houston Baptist University, Mom "adopted" one of her students, Laurie, who very quickly became one of the "Original Six" Gish/Grant children!

Because of Sonny's love of the game of golf, Dawn learned how to play in order to spend time with Sonny. She excelled in golf, crafting, redecorating her house, sewing and entertaining. In time, she would become a wonderful grandmother and great grandmother. Her love of traveling and pets would lead her and Sonny to traveling the United States to play golf in almost every state, living in a 5th wheel travel trailer with 2 golden retrievers and a fat cat!

Dawn is preceded in death by her husband, Sonny in 2021. She is survived by her daughter, Renee Cole (husband, Randy), son Terry Gish (wife, Michelle), granddaughter, Samantha Renee Holland (husband, Matt), great grandson, Weldon Alan Holland (born August 21, 2024). She is also survived by Emily Grant Swain (husband, Sean), Jeff Grant (wife, Holly), their children and grandchildren and Amy Grant Seagraves (husband, Jack) and their children and grandchildren. Lastly, she is survived by their beloved poodle mix, Abby!