Obituaries

Kerry S. Grant, former dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, vice provost of academic affairs and respected music historian, died Sept. 6 in Hospice Buffalo after a two-year battle with cancer. He was 68.

Grant is best-known in the Buffalo area for his 2001 book “The Rainbow City,” which commemorated the centennial of the Pan-American Exposition. “The Rainbow City” resulted from Grant’s curiosity after finding only two entries on the Pan-American Exposition in the UB Libraries’ catalog. He tried to elicit faculty interest in further research, but received no responses. He then decided to take the writing task on himself. His training as a music historian provided him with an interdisciplinary background to create the lavishly illustrated volume. As the book took shape, three themes emerged: light, color and architecture. Grant’s research helped him to appreciate and vividly describe the underpinnings of Buffalo as a community at a time of great prosperity and rapid change.

He also wrote a television script, “The Rainbow City: Reflecting Buffalo’s Century of Progress,” first aired by WNED-TV in 2002. Grant also produced the program and served as its music editor. He amassed a large collection of posters and other Pan-American Exposition memorabilia, which he donated to the UB Archives.

Grant came to UB in 1991 as dean of the Faculty of Arts and Letters. Prior to his appointment at UB, he served as director of the School of Music at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In 1998, Grant led the merger of the faculties of Arts and Letters, Social Sciences and Natural Sciences and Mathematics to form the College of Arts and Sciences we know today.

As dean, Grant was responsible for increases in research support; the expansion of language offerings, including the development of an Asian-language program; support for an international center for Polish studies; and the development and expansion of Korean studies.

He also made significant advances in diversifying the faculty, bringing 13 outstanding minority scholars to the faculty in two years. Grant participated in a SUNY system-wide review of undergraduate general education. In 2001, he was named vice provost for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School at UB.

In addition to his administrative roles, Grant was a professor of music history. He viewed his primary task as a professor as an obligation to students and in particular, teaching them at all levels. His classes ranged from introductory courses in music in which hundreds enrolled, to one-on-one informal advising. He took pride in teaching a wide variety of seminars on different topics, particularly dealing with 18th-century classical composers.

In addition to serving on numerous university and professional boards, Grant was a member and chair of the Erie County Cultural Resources Advisory Board, a member of the board of directors of the Arts Council of Buffalo and Erie County, and a member of the Cultural Leadership Group and Leadership Buffalo.

To honor his dedication to education, Grant’s family has established the Kerry Grant Memorial Prize, which will award a cash prize to a practicing UB art student who writes the most compelling essay about his or her understanding of artistic training as it relates to life and a career in arts.

A private burial is scheduled, and a public celebration of Grant’s life will be announced at a later date.