Meet Latasha N. Grant of Divine Grace Embalming Service in Metro Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Latasha N. Grant.

Latasha Nicole Grant is originally from Philadelphia, PA. she was born on April 15, to a single mother, Veronica Grant and is the oldest of two sisters Michelle and Christina.

Throughout elementary and Middle school she was in the gifted scholar program. In 1993 she graduated at the top of her class with a 4.0 GPA from University City High School in Philadelphia, PA with multiple honors for her participation in Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and National Honor Society. She received a scholarship to attend Pierce Jr, College where she received her Associate Degree in Business Administration while working as a bank teller at Meridian Bank. In 1995 She enrolled in Gordon Phillips Beauty School to pursue a career in Cosmetology.

In 2003 she and her family moved to McDonough, Georgia. Currently, she has four children Omar (28), Ryann (24), Laayla (14), Chaayse (12) and one Grandson Hendrix (4). For 16 years she worked for the Corpo-rate Offices of Pearson Vue a Testing and Education Company. She relocated with the same company to their Georgia Regional Office where the company was sub-contracted to handle licensing for the Georgia Insurance Commissioners office. She served as the Office Accounting Specialist until the office closed in August of 2014.

In April 2010 she graduated from American Intercontinental University with a Dual Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Resource Management and Personnel Psychology. Little did she know that in 2010 she would be called to serve as a Mortician, she followed her calling and Enrolled in Gupton Jones College of Mortuary Science in September of 2011. She graduated in August of 2012 with an Associate of Mortuary Science degree where she was awarded the A.S. Turner Award for Excellence in Restorative Art and the 100 Black Women of Funeral Service award for her achievements. In 2013 She started her own non-profit movement “Girls are Morticians too” which offers female students enrolled in Gupton Jones a scholarship as her way to give back.

She completed her two-year Apprenticeship at the Airport Mortuary and Professional Cremation Service on May 4, 2014, and received her Funeral Director and Embalmer Licenses in the state of GA on May 23, 2014, and began to serve at the Willie A. Watkins Funeral Homes. She received her Certified Funeral Service Practitioner (CFSP) designation in 2017. In February of 2018, she took a leap of faith and started Divine Grace Em-balming Service, where she diligently services several Metro Atlanta Funeral Homes. In June of 2019, she joined the staff at Gupton Jones College of Mortuary Science where she serves as the Distance Learning Instructor for Embalming I, II and III.

She is an active member of the State and Ninth District of GA Funeral Service Practitioners Association, where she serves as the Chair Lady of the Dynamic Ninth District here in Metro Atlanta; she is also an active member of Epsilon Nu Delta Mortuary Fraternity where she serves as Secretary, The GA Academy of Graduate Embalmers, The National Funeral Directors & Morticians Association and Lifetime Member of Carroll County NAACP. She serves as a member of The Greater Piney Grove Baptist Church in Decatur, GA where Dr. William E. Flippen, Sr. is her Pastor.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No, it has not always been a smooth road as a single mother of four I have had my share of financial and mental struggles but God is amazing. Funeral Service is a male-dominated industry so as a woman I had to prove myself. I’ll never forget one of the male funeral directors at the funeral home told me I wasn’t allowed to embalm a body but I was a licensed embalmer. So I went directly to the owner he told me to write down what happened, so I did and gave him the letter. The next day he wrote out in red ink at the top of the letter that I was allowed to embalm on Mondays and Wednesdays, the other male directors couldn’t believe that a female could do this by herself. I will forever be grateful to Mr. Willie A. Watkins for that opportunity.

We’d love to hear more about your work.
I am a Trade Embalmer. I embalm deceased human remains for several metro Atlanta Funeral Homes. I also dress and cosmetics and sometimes restore them as well. I am most proud of my success in just one year’s time I have four funeral home clients who use me exclusively as their embalmer. My bodies are always clean and well-manicured. It like going to the spa they get a good massage and full bath. I tell my students “cleanliness is next to Godliness” and they know I mean it. I take pride in each individual as if they were my own family member and it shows in my work.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I have apprentices who work alongside me and are always there whenever or whatever time I call, Sharmin McMiller and Quenderius “Malik” Clark. I also owe thanks to Darrell E Watkins I of the Willie A. Watkins Carrollton Chapel who is very supportive and always speaks well of and refers others to my business.

Contact Info:

• Phone: 678.462.6298
• Email: [email protected]
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/DIVINEGRACEEMBALMINGSERVICEATL/posts/?ref=page_internal

Image Credit:
Gloria Glanton, Renee Winston

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