Richard Dale Grantham, Sr.

Richard Dale Grantham, Sr., 75, of Columbus, GA died Tuesday, January 31, 2023 at his residence.

A memorial service will be held 2:00 PM Monday, February 6, 2023 in the Chapel of McMullen Funeral Home and Crematory with Reverend Dennis Lacey officiating. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Interment will be held at Parkhill Cemetery following the service.

Richard was born August 11, 1947 in Troy, AL to the late Charles and Emma Brown Grantham. He graduated from Jordan Vocational High School and later went back and proudly received his Associates Degree with Honors from Troy University. “Rickey” was a hard worker and loved by everyone. He retired from WC Bradley as a Production Superintendent after 35 years where he received many awards to include the coveted WC Bradley Spirit Award. He continued working knowing the true ins-and-outs of Columbus, GA from his time in pest control spraying homes to being in charge of CCA Stewart Detention Center as Safety Manager upholding safety standards where he won Employee of the Year.

Many people knew Rickey as an avid bass fisherman and he was proud of it! He was known as a major competitor in fishing tournaments all across South Georgia and Alabama. Later in life when he could no longer attend tournaments, he enjoyed visiting Lake Oliver marina and supporting his friends - extended family- at the tournament weigh-ins every Sunday.

If you knew Rickey, you knew nothing made him more proud than his wife Patricia, followed by his children and beautiful granddaughters. He lived by his own terms. He was picky, definitively loyal to what he knew he loved - whether it was the meat at Piggly Wiggly he would buy to cook for his family and friends, the hottest peppers he could find to torment his son-in-law and brother-in-laws with, Alabama football or wrestling.  In his final moments with us, through social media and phone calls, he got a sense of just how much people loved this grumpy old man and he was surprised. It made his day to see a comment or acknowledgement that his life mattered to people. It did so much. This past year, those who were fortunate enough to be close to him, saw the best version of him we’d ever seen. He put others above the pain he was in and did things he had never done before just to be with his family. His small physical presence was no match for his larger than life demeanor when you really got to know him. Rickey Grantham was funny, irreverent, crude, sweet, apologetic, unabashedly himself to the end. We loved every bit of him and will miss his mumbled phone calls, face times, news and weather updates but mostly his presence, deeply.

Other than his parents, he is preceded in death by his daughter, Tabitha Denise Grantham, and brother, Larry Grantham.

Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Patricia Sobasky Grantham of Columbus, GA; son, Richard Dale Grantham, Jr of West Hollywood, CA; daughter, Angela Grantham Griffin (Wayne) of Midland, GA; grandchildren, Halleigh Woods of Athens, GA, Hannah Woods of Athens, GA, Megan Lehman of Columbus, GA, Kaylee Bankston (Tyler) of Columbus, GA, Emma Griffin of Columbus, GA; and his niece, Christy Blackmon.

Flowers will be accepted, those desiring may make contributions to Columbus Hospice House, 7020 Moon Rd. Columbus, GA 31909.