S. Ashby Grantham, M.D.
S. Ashby Grantham, an orthopedic surgeon at what is now New York/Presbyterian Hospital and a professor at Columbia University Medical Center, died on Sept. 19 in Southampton. He was 85 had had been ill for two years.
Dr. Grantham, who lived in Sagaponack and Englewood, N.J., was a trauma surgeon for more than 40 years. He had served as president of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, and in 1966 was chosen as one of seven surgeons from six countries named an ABC Traveling Fellow.
He was born in Minneapolis on Oct. 22, 1930, to Samuel Grantham, M.D., and the former Janet McDougal. He grew up in the small town of Joplin, Mo., across the street from his grandfather, who also was a doctor.
He lived in New Orleans during World War II, where his father was stationed with the Navy. He later moved to Claremont, Calif., returning to Joplin, where he graduated from high school with the class of 1948. He earned a Bachelor of Arts at Washington University in St. Louis in 1952, and went to Washington University Medical School. Upon graduation, he became an intern at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital and then was a resident for a highly esteemed orthopedic surgeon, Frank E. Stinchfield.
Dr. Grantham was also the physician at the marine base camp, Camp Lejeune, in North Carolina in 1962 and ’63.
Dr. Grantham was married first to Priscilla Dudley, with whom he had four children. He later married Patricia DeCarlo, who had been a member of the Rockettes. Their marriage took place in Rome and their reception was attended by the city’s mayor as well as Amintore Fanfani, the president of Italy, who was Dr. Grantham’s patient and friend. They had one daughter, Victoria.
Dr. Grantham retired in 2001. He supported his wife’s fitness business, Summer Kicks, on Railroad Avenue in East Hampton, and enjoyed making friends with its instructors. He also enjoyed the theater, fishing, painting, and his five beloved dogs.
Dr. Grantham is survived by his five children, Chris Grantham and Jon Grantham of Bronxville, N.Y., Wendy Hotz of LaPorte, Tex., Hillary Grantham of Albion, N.Y., and Victoria Grantham, who lives in New York City. Patricia, his wife of 50 years, survives, as well, as do eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
The family has invited friends to a memorial service on the beach at the end of Town Line Road in Sagaponack at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
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Corrections: The original print and online version of this obituary contained a number of errors corrected above. Dr. Grantham was S. Ashby Grantham. He died in Southampton, but not at Southampton Hospital. Victoria Grantham was his daughter with his second wife, Patricia. The original version of the obituary identified Ms. Grantham as her daughter, but did not clarify that she was also the daughter of Dr. Grantham.