Mary-Bestor Bankhead Grant

Mary-Bestor Bankhead Grant, born to parents Jane Campbell Brown Grant and William Alexander "Alec" Grant III, passed away peacefully on July 22, 2024. Mary-Bestor was born on November 30, 1975, in Birmingham, Alabama, and was 48 years old. She grew up in Jasper, Alabama, and attended high school at The Altamont School in Birmingham. Mary-Bestor then went on to graduate summa cum laude from Brown University and traveled extensively after college, which was one of her great pleasures in life and also when she developed her love of all people in all places. She returned to Birmingham where she spent many years working in nonprofits including the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, the YWCA, and CAWACO River Project.

As a testament to her courageous spirit, Mary-Bestor sought out many adventures in life such as scuba diving, zip lining, skydiving, riding in hot air balloons, going on safari in Zambia, paddling the African waterways, and reaching the peak of multiple mountain summits. Her travels included hiking Mount Kilimanjaro, walking in completion the Camino de Santiago Trail in Spain, and faith-based charity work in Cambodia, Mexico, Zambia and India.

Mary-Bestor was a joyful spirit and embraced others with her warm, thoughtful ways. Throughout her life, she yearned for and succeeding in making meaningful connections with others. She was a selfless giver and never met a stranger. Above all, she was a devoted and loving member of her family and loved spending time with her niece Annee Bess and nephews Pratt and Darby. They were the light of her life and she cared for them dearly. They loved and cherished their Aunt BeeBee beyond measure.

Mary-Bestor is survived by her parents Jane and Alec Grant and her brother William Alexander Grant IV, all living in Birmingham; her sister Virginia Grant Blair, brother-in-law Michael Scott Blair, niece Anne Bestor Bankhead Blair, and nephews Pratt Copeland Blair and Michael Darby Blair, all of South Glastonbury, Connecticut; her loving aunts and uncles, and eleven first cousins.

The memorial service will be held 11:00 AM on Saturday, July 27, at the Cathedral Church of the Advent, 2017 6th Ave N Birmingham, AL 35203.

The family requests that memorials be given to: The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, 2 Xavier Circle,

Birmingham, AL 35213, (205) 871-1153 www.ssvpusa.org

The mission of St. Vincent de Paul is “a network of friends, inspired by gospel values, growing in holiness and building a more just world through personal relationships with and service to people in need."