Candace Cason Grantham

Candace was born on December 17, 1955 in Wellington, Texas to Charles and Eva Cason. She grew up in Wellington, Texas; Sublette, Kansas and Abilene, Texas. At the age of eight, Candace accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. She graduated from Cooper High School in 1974, and went on to study at Hardin Simmons University, where she earned degrees in Chemistry and Biology.

Her life in Christ was marked by selfless service to her family, friends and coworkers; Candace had an uncanny ability to know what an individual needed at that point in their life, and had the fearlessness to step up and provide it, whether they asked for it or not. Candace made people feel special. Her parties and celebrations were legendary, and left "heart prints" on everyone involved.

Her passion for people led Candace to choose the medical profession. She was committed to patient safety and quality. She took her passion for patients and the 20 years of experience she gained from working in the offices of George Dawson, M.D. and Howard Tobin, M.D. to create Professional Medical Consultants, which helped doctors performing outpatient surgery to raise the standard of care, insuring patient safety and outcomes. Candace rose to the top of her profession when she developed the Pediatric Surgery Center of Plano. At the time of her death, she was the Chief Executive Officer of Cook Children's Northeast Hospital in Hurst, Texas. Candace was deeply committed to her "babies", as she referred to the patients at her hospital; she felt it was her calling to protect the children that came in for treatment.

On April 11, 1998, she married the love of her life, Kevin Grantham. Candace adored Kevin and all the time that they spent together. She found her perfect match in Kevin, someone who loved and supported her in all that she did. Kevin and Candace were absolutely committed to Christ as the center of their marriage.

She is preceded in death by her father, Charles Cason; her brother Randall Cason; her sister-in-law, Gena Cason and her niece, Danlynn Cason. Candace is survived by her loving and devoted husband, Kevin Grantham of Farmers Branch; stepdaughter, Jennifer Grantham of Dallas; her mother, Eva Cason of Abilene; brother, Charles Cason of Plano; sister, Rhonda Mayfield and husband, Mike of Lubbock; her sister-in-law, Jan Cason of Waco; and her brother, Rick Cason and his wife, Jene'e of Abilene.

Candace is additionally survived by her nephews and nieces, whom she loved as if they were her own children: Randy and Sadie Cason and their children, Trey and Kaylynn of Warner Robbins, Georgia; Charva and Jason Ingram and their daughters, Ivy and Cason of Riverside, California; Ron and Tiffany Cason and their daughters, Presley and Landry of Fort Worth; and David Cason and his wife, Starla, Matthew Cason and Aubrey Beeman of Abilene.