Grant Dailey Penrose passed on June 20, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida, following a brief illness. He is survived by his best friend and wife of 18 years, Dori Penrose (Dori Hammond). He leaves behind his loving mother, Margaret Craft Penrose, his older brother Alan Craft Penrose (Catherine), and three nieces and nephews, KateAnn, Evan, and Meredith Penrose. His extended family includes numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. Grant adored animals; his dogs Charlie, Benny, Echo, and cats Kitty Kitaen and Ozzy miss him immensely.

He was preceded in death by his father, Glen Allen Penrose, and his grandparents, Marvin Earl Craft and Norma Loraine Craft, and Alexander Wilfred Penrose and Mary Alvada Dailey Penrose.
 

Grant was born in Washington, D.C. When the family later settled in Kansas City, he received his formal education there, including high school at Shawnee Mission South. Following a brief time in Georgia, Grant returned to KC and worked with United Lex and later Harbour Litigation. Working his way to Project Manager of legal litigation at Harbour, Grant found his work meaningful and stimulating and especially enjoyed the relationships he made with his colleagues.

Grant and Dori met in 2000 through mutual friends. Very quickly, they fell deeply in love. Moving in together after just 3 dates, Dori knew he was a partner for life. She fell in love with his big heart. He cared deeply. He could take any situation and lighten it up into something they could laugh about. She will miss him the rest of her life.

Dori and Grant moved to Pensacola in 2019, with Grant continuing to work remotely, and Dori entering the Pensacola hospitality scene. Grant loved sports in the places he lived, supporting the Wahoos in Pensacola, but a deep love of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Miami Hurricanes as well as the Kansas City Royals. He could be found with one of their hats, turned backwards, and a beer in hand, cheering any game. Pensacola provided a slower pace of life for them to enjoy the beach and good weather, taking the top off the Jeep and cruising downtown or along Hwy 399 in the Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Grant collected friends from Kansas City and Pensacola. His grade school and high school buddies maintained a closeness his whole life, a brotherhood of friends that spanned decades. It’s practically impossible to summarize who Grant was in these few words, particularly how he made people feel and the deep connections he made with his friends who were his extended family. No matter the distance, he remained a faithful and trusted friend.
 

A celebration of life commemorating his birthday will be held at the end of July in Kansas City with details to follow. In lieu of flowers, gifts can be made to Kansas City Pet Project www.kcpetproject.org.