Grant Homer Layton

In Loving Memory of Grant Homer Layton. It is with deep sadness and immense gratitude for a life well lived that we announce the passing of Grant Homer Layton, 78, on July 24, 2026, after a short battle with stage four Lymphoma cancer. He passed peacefully in his home surrounded by loved ones. He was born on January 16, 1948, in Long Beach California to Ruby Ethel Rauch and Homer Lawrence Layton. They raised him on Locust Avenue in Compton with his 5 siblings. The stories of his adventures growing up there led us to believe it was like a “Leave it to Beaver” type childhood with many adventures and some misadventures typical of boys. He made many lifelong friends in Compton who eventually all moved to Utah where some of them continued making epic motorcycle adventures in southern Utah and Colorado. He delivered newspapers, worked in his father’s cabinet shop and held a variety of other jobs including Chicken Delight and quality control for a manufacturing plant. His scouting adventures included many motorcycle trips which evidently all the boys and leaders rode. Grant attended Dominguez High School where he participated in wrestling and track and field. He set several records in the hurdles which his younger brother Mark broke a couple of, but claims Grant still held some when Mark graduated. Grant attended BYU his freshman year then served a 2 1/2-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Chile. He learned Spanish and loved his service there. He formed a lifetime commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and held a firm commitment to studying the scriptures. He returned to BYU and his good friend Bob Holladay were once again roommates. He worked summers in Alaska to pay for college. He graduated in 1973 with a degree in Science and a minor in Spanish. For 53 years, he shared a remarkable love story with his wife, Eileen Layton, the love of his life. They met and married within 3 months in 1973. Together they built a family rooted in love, laughter, and unwavering devotion. Of all the roles he held throughout his life, being her husband was his greatest joy. He adored his five children and found his greatest purpose in supporting and providing for the people he loved. An accomplished dentist by profession and a talented artist by nature, Grant had a gift for creating with both precision and a skillful and truly gifted artistic flair. Whether he was restoring a smile or bringing a vision to life, he approached his work with competence, proficiency and pride. He held 3 patents for the dental field, but they never reached the production phase. When he wasn’t working, he was happiest with the wind in his face on a motorcycle, riding a side-by-side with his sweetie, tinkering on a project in the garage, or camping in Baja with family and friends. He loved working with his hands and was always finding something to fix, build, or improve. He was a certified diver and loved spear fishing with the 6ft. Spear gun he made. He could also freedive down 60 ft and wait for that big fish to come within range. He was also certified as a deep-water nitrous diver. Grant loved flying, having his pilot’s license and flew to Baja a few times. He was a member of the Western Pyrotechnics Association, and we enjoyed many trips to Lake Havasu for the convention and the most amazing firework displays ever. He was licensed as an Amateur Radio Operator and MACS (refrigeration operator). When he retired from Dentistry, he fulfilled his desire to make violins. He made several and he gifted a neighbor girl one that she was able to learn on. A man of many talents and abilities always learning new things and striving to improve. His deep love of the gospel led him to study and research the meanings of the words in the scriptures. After 10+ years of study he published a 900-page book entitled “Terms of Salvation”, where he defined the meanings of terms used repeatedly in the scriptures. Those who knew him knew they could also count on his quick wit and legendary sarcasm. He had a knack for delivering the perfect one-liner, and no gathering was complete without one of his favorite quotes from The Princess Bride. Whether declaring, “As you wish” or that something was “inconceivable” or finding the perfect movie line for the moment, he had a way of making people laugh and reminding them to find humor in the simplest things. Above all else, he loved his wife. Their many years together were a beautiful example of loyalty, friendship, and enduring love. He treasured the quiet moments with her, and that love became the foundation upon which their family was built. He is survived by his beloved wife, Eileen Layton; his five loving children and their spouses; Tyler and Nicole Layton, Chris and Kelli Layton, Janae and Jason Ree, Brian and Brooke Layton, Kimberly Layton and 13 grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents Homer and Ruby Layton and his brother Mark Layton. He also leaves behind siblings Lynne Amaya, David (Emily) Layton, Dean (Margo) Layton, Wendy (Andrew) Adamson, and countless friends, patients, and loved ones who will remember his generosity, his talent, his humor, and the unmistakable sparkle of sarcasm that made him uniquely himself. Though our hearts are broken, we find comfort knowing that his legacy lives on in the family he cherished, the lives he touched, the beauty he created, and the laughter he inspired. We can almost hear him now, reminding us with a grin that life is too precious not to laugh—and perhaps offering one final, perfectly timed quote “Have fun storming the castle……...” He will be deeply missed, forever loved, and never forgotten. His memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints located at 1178 S 700 W, Hurricane, UT 84737. A meet-and-greet will be held prior to services starting at 10:00 a.m. Interment in the Hurricane Cemetery at 12:30 p.m. followed by a luncheon provided by the Hurricane 4th Ward Relief Society for close family and friends.

Grant Homer Layton

January 16, 1948 - July 24, 2026