R. Grant DeMuth was born August 27, 1946, in Warsaw, Indiana, the oldest of three children born to Rene and Don DeMuth. He passed away August 30, 2026.
Grant served his country in the United States Navy, completing two tours of duty in Vietnam. Following his military service, he graduated from the University of Kansas. He went on to become a successful businessman and owner of Industrial Supply Products in Kansas City, Wichita and Topeka.
Grant and his wife, Claudette Harrell DeMuth, moved to Guntersville in 1998 and made the community their home. Grant work for the City of Guntersville as the Director of Economic Development during the administration of Mayor Bob Hembree, contributing his talents and experience to the growth and advancement of the community he came to love.
Above all, Grant was a devoted husband to Claudette and a steadfast and enthusiastic supporter of her career, community and church activities. He took great pride in her accomplishments and was always there to encourage and support her endeavors.
An active member of Guntersville First Methodist Church, Grant served as president of the Scruggs Sunday School Class and was a familiar presence in the life of the church.
Grant also loved the water. He enjoyed sailing and was an accomplished barefoot water skier—an adventurous pursuit that might surprise those who knew a quieter side of his personality.
Among close friends, Grant was affectionately known as “Felix,” a reference to the famously fastidious Felix Unger of The Odd Couple. His meticulous nature earned him the nickname, and it became an enduring term of affection among those who knew him best.
He also appreciated the simple pleasures and routines of everyday life. Neighbors will remember the familiar sight of Grant taking his walks with Mary Mae, the beloved DeMuth family pet. Those walks became part of the rhythm of the neighborhood and one of the many everyday memories that will remain with those who knew him.
For more than a decade, Grant and those who loved him faced the long journey of Alzheimer’s disease. Through those difficult years, the qualities that defined his life and the memories created over a lifetime remained his enduring legacy. Alzheimer’s may have altered the final years of Grant’s life, but it does not define the life he lived.
Grant was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Gwen Padgett. He is survived by his wife, Claudette Harrell DeMuth; his children, Hillary (Adam) Winzenried and Donald DeMuth; his brother, Barry (Debbie) DeMuth; granddaughter, June Winzenried and beloved mother-in-law, Bette Harrell.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, September 12 in the sanctuary of Guntersville First Methodist, followed by a reception in the Family Life Center.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial gifts be made in Grant’s memory to Shepherd’s Cove Hospice, Guntersville First Methodist Church, or The Foundation for Marshall Medical Centers.
