Grant Masashi Ujifusa

Grant Masashi Ujifusa, of Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania, passed away on Oct. 21 at the age of 82.

Grant was born on Jan. 4, 1942, in Worland, Wyoming, to Mary and Tom Ujifusa. He was intensely proud of his roots and his family heritage in Worland and Wyoming. He played quarterback for the Worland Warriors and helped lead the team to a state championship in 1959. He loved telling stories about football and the sugar beet farm where he grew up.

He went on to attend Harvard University, and also studied at Brandeis University and Brown University. He was a co-founder of the Almanac of American Politics, which has been called the gold standard in its field. For a time, Grant served as the chief lobbyist for redress for people of Japanese descent who were forced into internment camps during World War II, and played a key and direct role in convincing President Ronald Reagan to approve the redress legislation. In this volunteer work, he was deeply influenced by stories of the internment camp at Heart Mountain.

Grant also worked as an editor at Random House and Reader's Digest, among other places. He was fond of cattle, gardening, and trains. In fact, his grandfather's work on the Chicago Burlington & Quincy railroad is what brought Grant's family to Wyoming.

A devoted family man, he leaves behind a wife, Amy Brooks Ujifusa, sons Steven Ujifusa (Alexandra Vinograd), Andrew Ujifusa (Jennifer), John; and two grandsons (Isaac and Max). He also leaves behind a sister Susan Diamond, her husband Stephen Diamond, niece Margo, and nephew Theodore.

Donations in his memory can be made to the Asia

Society in New York City.