Major Philip M. Grass

Major Philip M. Grass, 86, left this world to meet his Savior on Wednesday, March 23, 2011, with his beloved daughter at his side.

Born in Addis, Louisiana, to Lucien Anthony and Minnie Annie Seeling Grass in 1924, Major Grass valiantly served his country in the U. S. Army during World War II and Korea. At age twenty, he jumped with the 503rd Parachute Infantry onto the Island of Corregidor. Following the war, Major Grass was an instructor at Airborn School at Fort Benning, Georgia, where Colonel William C. Westmoreland was one of his students. He served in Japan as well, and in 1949 was Commissioned in Armor at Officer Candidate School, Fort Riley, Kansas, and was then sent to Korea in July, 1950 with the 70th Tank. He retired from military service in August of 1962 with the rank of Major.

Major Grass graduated from McNeese State University in 1965 with a degree in education. He was a member of Blue Key, received the Distinguished Student Teacher Award at F.K. White and was named in Who's Who in Colleges and Universities in 1965. He was President of the Louisiana Student Teachers' Association in 1964, and was the first instructor in Developmental Reading in the MSU Department of Education under Dr. Ella Roberts. Major Grass earned his Master Degree from MSU in 1967 and his Specialist Degree in 1972.

He was a sixth grade teacher at Moss Bluff Elementary and Moss Bluff Middle School. He was on staff at the Southwest Louisiana State School for Exceptional Students in Iota for ten months, and then went on to be a staff member of Special School District One with the Louisiana Department of Education. Major Grass had a passion for history, reading and music, and he also loved to dance. He faithfully and joyfully served his Lord as a member, greeter and usher of First Baptist Church of Lake Charles from 1963.

Major Grass is survived by his beloved daughter, Susan Marriner, and her husband Richard, of Lake Charles; one brother, Lucien J. Grass and his wife Maxine of Alexandria; and his beloved nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Will Allen "Penny" Moak Grass.

Funeral services will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 29, 2011, at Johnson Funeral Home. Rev. Milton Murphy and Dr. John Paul White will officiate. Interment will be at Prien Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 4 until 6 p.m. on Monday with an American Legion Service at 6:00 p.m. and from 10:30 a.m. until service time on Tuesday.

Memorial donations may be made to First Baptist Church, 830 Hodges Street, Lake Charles, LA 70601.

Susan would like to thank Dr. Ron Lewis, Jr., his nurse practitioner, Barbara Laughlin, and his excellent staff, as well as the nurses and staff of Dubuis Hospital for the gentle and compassionate care given her beloved dad. Susan would also like to express her grateful appreciation to Major Grass's caregiver and friend for the past six years, Lynn Hamilton Gray, who is like a sister to Susan and who selflessly shared with them her loving and compassionate assistance, bringing radiance and joy into their home.

Recently it was said of Major Grass, "He has exemplified the very best in duty to God and country. If a man's worth on earth could be quantified by the good will and love he has built up here, surely he is a man of immeasurable wealth. Whenever his appointment with Jesus comes, I know the Savior will say, well done, good and faithful servant.'"