Toby "Tilley" Grant

Toby “Tilley” Grant, daughter of the late Isadore Zatz and Ethel Graboff Zatz, passed away peacefully on April 9, 2026, at the age of 101.

Born on May 2, 1924, Toby lived a long and meaningful life defined by devotion to her family, her faith, and her community. She was the beloved wife of the late Harry Grant and a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who always put her family first. Loving, gentle, and endlessly caring, Toby was always there for the people she loved and did not have a mean bone in her body.

Toby was fiercely independent and lived in her own home until the age of 101, a reflection of her strength, determination, and spirit. She found joy in the simple pleasures of life, especially needlepoint and crochet, and she was a devoted watcher of QVC, though she famously refused to buy anything. She especially loved spoiling her grandsons with Little Debbie Swiss Rolls when picking them up from school, one of the many small but unforgettable ways she showed her love.

A lifelong member of Temple Israel in Albany, New York, and a lifetime member of Hadassah, Toby remained deeply connected to her faith and community throughout her life.
She is survived by her sons, Mel Grant and his wife, Wendy Grant, and Alan Grant; her grandsons, Joshua Grant and Jeremy Grant; her granddaughter, Vanessa Carson-Sasso; Vanessa’s partner, Patty Carson-Sasso; and her great-grandchild, Jack Carson. She was predeceased by her husband, Harry Grant, her sister Ida Leberman and by her daughter-in-law, Judy Grant.

Funeral services for Toby will be held graveside at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 12th, at Temple Israel Cemetery, 1626 Western Ave. in Guilderland.

Toby will be remembered for her kindness, her quiet strength, her deep love for her family, and the warmth she brought to all who knew her.

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