Grant Taylor Kelly's Obituary
Grant Taylor Kelly, age 24, of Muscatine, Iowa, formerly of Centerville, passed away Wednesday, August 23, 2023 at his home in Muscatine.
Grant was born on March 17, 1999 in Aurora, Colorado, the son of Scott and Jackie (Hart) Kelly, and younger brother to Alexandra Kelly. Growing up, Grant enjoyed the typical things most young boys do...Thomas the Tank Engine, Hot Wheels, playing outside, and spending time with grandparents. He was always curious and soon became an avid reader. This included an interest in history and he frequently shared his knowledge with his family by saying "Fun Fact", followed by some random piece of information. He was captivated with outer space and the universe and was always open to new ideas. He enjoyed stargazing with his telescope, and like many, dreamed of being an astronaut. Grant passed on this career due to poor eyesight, so settled for an astronaut tattoo instead.
While in school, Grant participated in a variety of activities. One he thoroughly enjoyed was the Talented and Gifted program in which he earned a trip to the national competition with his team. He was later involved in Student Council, National Honor Society, the Robotics Team, and Cross Country, even though he really disliked running.
He participated in the Iowa World Food Prize Youth Institute, where he worked with other students from across the state to present their findings regarding food production in a third world country. Grant had many teachers who impacted his formative years, but probably none more so than Steven Benz. He had several industrial arts classes with him and quickly developed an interest in solving problems with various materials, which led to his passion for engineering.
While in High School, Grant worked at Hy-Vee and was an assistant manager for two years, always providing a 'helpful smile in every aisle' and many people in the community knew him. He graduated as one of the top 5% of his class from Centerville High School with the Class of 2017 and received the Governor's Scholar Recognition Award.
Grant furthered his education at Iowa State University, receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in Materials Engineering in December of 2022. During his time at ISU, he was the president of his freshmen dorm floor, founded the Academic Improvement Club with a group of his close friends, and enjoyed participating in the Materials Engineering Club. Internships included Hall Engineering and Gerdau Steel Mill. He loved going to Iowa State Football games, hanging out with his friends, and hiking at Ledges State Park outside of Ames.
Following college graduation, Grant accepted a position at Gerdau in early January, 2023. He was in the G-Future leadership program, an 18-month training opportunity to visit other mills and become a Quality Assurance Metallurgist. Grant had already taken on many of the duties of this role such as developing and training lab testing processes, performing failure analysis, and working directly with customers. He was described as thorough, hard-working, a great contributor, and on track for a great career.
In his free time, Grant enjoyed gaming, being outdoors, and hiked in the mountains of Colorado last year. He loved live music, attending concerts, and was always expanding his library. He had such a passion for knowledge and even after graduation, he never stopped learning. Grant was a very caring person and went out of his way to make others feel included. His dry sense of humor was always spot-on, only to be given up by his infectious laugh. He was truly loved by so many people.
Left to honor Grant's memory are his parents, Scott and Jackie Kelly; his sister, Alexandra Kelly; his grandmother, Edie Hart; as well as numerous extended family and close friends.
Grant was preceded in death by his grandparents, Richard and Nancy Kelly and Larry Hart.
Private family services will be held. Memorials in honor of Grant may be written to Scott or Jackie Kelly, to be determined at a later date, and may be mailed to Thomas Funeral Home, ATTN: Grant Kelly Family, 501 North 18th Street, Centerville, Iowa 52544. Condolences may be shared online at www.thomasfh.com or on our funeral home Facebook page, www.facebook.com/thomasfuneralhome.
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