Barbara Koukol Grant, 90, passed away Wednesday, Oct, 10, 2012, at St. Joseph of the Pines Health Center.
A private family ­celebration of her life is planned.
Barbara Koukol was born in New York to the late Beatrice Boyden and Clement Koukol. She was raised in Ridgewood, NJ. She became a junior grass court tennis champion and learned to play bridge from her mother.
Barbara attended Duke University as an English major and met Charles Allison Grant from Louisville, Ky. They married in 1943 and were bridge partners for the next 56 years. In 1951, Barbara and Charlie moved with their daughter and two sons to a 30-acre farm in Kennett Square, Pa. Charlie traveled extensively on business and Barbara ran the farm. They bred and raised Black Angus cattle and boarded horses. Her daughter trained horses and the boys played sports, camped and played in a band.
After 30 years on the farm, the family grown, Charlie retired from Hercules Powder Company and the couple moved to Pinehurst. Barbara decided to give her time and energy to help in their new ­community. She volunteered at the hospital. She gave of her time for 25 years and logged more than 4,700 hours pushing wheelchairs, doing patient interviews and working in the office.
Additionally, she was on the “Save the Fair Barn” Committee responsible for the restoration of this historic site in Pinehurst. In June, 1999, Barbara and Charlie moved to Belle Meade, where she was a resident until her death.
Barbara was preceded in death by her husband, Charlie. She is survived by her daughter, Judy Grant Lewis, of Pinehurst, and sons Donald Koukol Grant, of Portland, Ore., and James Boyden Grant, of Burlington, Ky.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Prancing Horse Therapeutic Riding Center, or the Moore County Hospital Foundation. Online condolences may be made at www.bolesfuneralhome. com.
Boles Funeral Home of Pinehurst is serving the family.