Mona June Grant finally decided she had done enough supervising down here and was called home to Heaven to be with her daddy, Charles “Buster” Gibbs, and her mama, Mildred “June” Gibbs, on July 24, 2026. Knowing Mona, she probably walked through Heaven’s gates with her beautiful smile, greeted every animal she could find, and wasted no time letting everyone know how things ought to be done.

Mona was born on September 9, 1953, in Amarillo, Texas. She graduated early from Caprock High School in 1972 before earning a degree in Fashion Merchandising from Bauder College. Considering her closet and the closets of her three daughters, it’s safe to say that degree paid dividends in shoes, purses, coordinated outfits, and the firm belief that there is no such thing as owning “too many” of any of the above.

On December 31, 1982, she married her husband, Max Grant, and would jokingly tell everyone she knew they got married on New Year’s Eve so he’d never forget their anniversary. Forty-four years, many animals, three daughters, and two homes later, their annual Red Lobster anniversary dinner had become as much of a tradition as the date itself.

Mona loved many things in life: Texas Rangers baseball, John Wayne movies, Elvis Presley, anything sparkly red, her Red Hat Ladies, traveling to visit her daughters, and following the Rangers to ballparks across the country. She never met an outfit that couldn’t be coordinated, a little extra sparkle that couldn’t be added, or a reason not to look put together, and she had no problem telling you when you weren’t.

She was proper, polished, wonderfully headstrong, and incredibly determined. Once Mona decided what she wanted, there wasn’t much that was going to change her mind. She knew exactly how things ought to be done and wasn’t shy about sharing that opinion. But every so often, usually thanks to the persistent efforts of those who loved her, her perfectly composed exterior would crack just enough for everyone to see the goofy sense of humor hiding underneath. Those moments became some of the family’s favorites.

Animals held a permanent place in Mona’s heart, especially cats. She firmly believed there was always room for one more, even if Max occasionally tried to suggest otherwise. Divorce was also apparently a perfectly acceptable consequence of bringing home another cat, though thankfully, it never came to that.

If you asked Max what mattered most to Mona, he’d answer without hesitation: “She loved her daughters, her cats, and her husband. In that order.” While he may have accepted his place in the rankings, everyone knew just how deeply Mona loved her family.

She believed fiercely in her daughters. There wasn’t a soccer game, piano recital, dance performance, concert, art show, graduation, award ceremony, or milestone she would willingly miss. She cheered the loudest, bragged the proudest, and believed wholeheartedly that her girls could accomplish anything they set their minds to. Long before they believed in themselves, Mona believed in them first.

Mona is survived by her devoted husband, Max Grant; her daughters, Christyn Jay and husband Brandon, Caity Grant, and Carly Grant; her brother, Chris Gibbs and wife Maria Fierro-Gibbs; her sister, Carla Kelman and husband Harry Kelman; her nieces, Nicci Fierro-Gibbs and wife Sam, Shelby Gibbs and her daughter Dalli, and Kathryn Kelman; along with countless extended family members, dear friends, fellow Red Hat Ladies, and a lifetime’s worth of four-legged companions who undoubtedly greeted her with wagging tails and happy purrs.

The family will hold a private service to celebrate Mona’s life.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to your favorite animal shelter in her honor. And if, sometime in the near future, a stray cat unexpectedly chooses your porch, your garage, or your heart, don’t be too surprised. The family has a feeling Mona has already volunteered to take over Heaven’s Cat Distribution System, and she’s probably still convinced that everyone needs just one more kitty.

Mona will be missed beyond words by all who had the privilege of knowing and loving her, and even more so by the ones she loved. She leaves behind a family who loved her dearly, close friends, closets that are still overflowing with the fashion she adored, and countless memories stitched together with kindness, determination, impeccable fashion, unconditional love, and the beautiful smile that welcomed everyone she met. The world could use more people like Mona, and probably a few more rescued cats, too.