Fred Hunter Grimes, 79, of Florence, died Monday, Nov. 8, 2010, at ECM Hospital.
The funeral service, with military honors, will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Elkins Funeral Home. The Rev. Mike Pope will officiate. Entombment will follow at Tri-Cities Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends 6-8 p.m. today and 10-11 a.m. Thursday at Elkins Funeral Home.
Mr. Grimes was born in Iron City, Tenn., on Feb. 4, 1931. He spent his formative years in Collinwood and graduated from Collinwood High School, where he enjoyed playing on the basketball team. He was married to his loving and supportive wife, Winnie Mae Rich, for 50 years, before her passing in 2004.
Mr. Grimes enlisted in the U.S. Navy when he was 17 years old and served his country honorably for 25 years, before retiring as a lieutenant commander in 1973. During his Naval career, LCDR Grimes served in a variety of assignments at sea and ashore. During his early years in the Navy, Mr. Grimes served in several recruit training leadership positions at the San Diego Naval Training Center and performed damage control duties on board the USS Duxbury Bay and USS Krishna. From 1962-63, he served as commanding officer of the Naval Reserve Training Unit in Natchez, Miss. A Korean and Vietnam War veteran, LCDR Grimes served as a military adviser to the Vietnamese Navy in Saigon, Vietnam, from 1964-65. From 1966-69, LCDR Grimes served as commander of the Naval fleet tug boat station in Newport, R.I., where he enjoyed stationing his tug boats as "turn buoys" during annual America's Cup races. He returned to sea duty from 1969-71, serving as the engineering officer on board the USS Observation Island, based out of Cape Canaveral, Fla. His final tour of duty in the Navy was in a leadership position at the Naval Training Command in Orlando, Fla., from 1971-73. He received numerous awards throughout his military career.
Upon completion of his military career, Mr. Grimes joined Folger Coffee Co. in Slidell, La., serving as their chief plant engineer from 1974-75. In 1975, Fred and Mae returned to Florence, Ala., where he studied business at the University of North Alabama. He then accepted a position as the manager of Courtview Towers in Florence from 1975 until he retired a second time in 1983.
Mr. Grimes, affectionately known as Pepa to his children and grandchildren, was a strong, quiet man. Through the years, he enjoyed playing golf, bowling, basketball and strongly supported his sons in all of their athletic and academic endeavors. He provided the strong support that was so helpful to his wife, Mae, throughout their years in the Navy and as she operated her Merle Norman Cosmetics business in Florence. He was a member of First United Methodist Church of Florence and provided strong support to the church and to Mae as she faithfully served in many caring capacities for First United Church of Florence through the years.
Mr. Grimes is survived by sons, Michael K. Grimes and wife, Karen, of Fayetteville, Ga., and Phillip A. Grimes and wife, Roxane, of Florence; grandchildren, Rebecca Arritt and husband, Will, of Alexandria, Va., Suzanne Murray and husband, Ian, of Twenty-Nine Palms, Calif., Robin Otte and husband, Jared, of Florence, and Patrick Grimes, of Florence; great-granddaughter, Reese Otte; brothers, Raymond Grimes and wife, Alice, and Frank Grimes, of Florida; sisters, Sue Pippin, of Michigan, and Rachel Ellis, of South Carolina; many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Congregational Care at First United Methodist Church, Florence.
Published in Florence Times Daily on November 10, 2010
The funeral service, with military honors, will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Elkins Funeral Home. The Rev. Mike Pope will officiate. Entombment will follow at Tri-Cities Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends 6-8 p.m. today and 10-11 a.m. Thursday at Elkins Funeral Home.
Mr. Grimes was born in Iron City, Tenn., on Feb. 4, 1931. He spent his formative years in Collinwood and graduated from Collinwood High School, where he enjoyed playing on the basketball team. He was married to his loving and supportive wife, Winnie Mae Rich, for 50 years, before her passing in 2004.
Mr. Grimes enlisted in the U.S. Navy when he was 17 years old and served his country honorably for 25 years, before retiring as a lieutenant commander in 1973. During his Naval career, LCDR Grimes served in a variety of assignments at sea and ashore. During his early years in the Navy, Mr. Grimes served in several recruit training leadership positions at the San Diego Naval Training Center and performed damage control duties on board the USS Duxbury Bay and USS Krishna. From 1962-63, he served as commanding officer of the Naval Reserve Training Unit in Natchez, Miss. A Korean and Vietnam War veteran, LCDR Grimes served as a military adviser to the Vietnamese Navy in Saigon, Vietnam, from 1964-65. From 1966-69, LCDR Grimes served as commander of the Naval fleet tug boat station in Newport, R.I., where he enjoyed stationing his tug boats as "turn buoys" during annual America's Cup races. He returned to sea duty from 1969-71, serving as the engineering officer on board the USS Observation Island, based out of Cape Canaveral, Fla. His final tour of duty in the Navy was in a leadership position at the Naval Training Command in Orlando, Fla., from 1971-73. He received numerous awards throughout his military career.
Upon completion of his military career, Mr. Grimes joined Folger Coffee Co. in Slidell, La., serving as their chief plant engineer from 1974-75. In 1975, Fred and Mae returned to Florence, Ala., where he studied business at the University of North Alabama. He then accepted a position as the manager of Courtview Towers in Florence from 1975 until he retired a second time in 1983.
Mr. Grimes, affectionately known as Pepa to his children and grandchildren, was a strong, quiet man. Through the years, he enjoyed playing golf, bowling, basketball and strongly supported his sons in all of their athletic and academic endeavors. He provided the strong support that was so helpful to his wife, Mae, throughout their years in the Navy and as she operated her Merle Norman Cosmetics business in Florence. He was a member of First United Methodist Church of Florence and provided strong support to the church and to Mae as she faithfully served in many caring capacities for First United Church of Florence through the years.
Mr. Grimes is survived by sons, Michael K. Grimes and wife, Karen, of Fayetteville, Ga., and Phillip A. Grimes and wife, Roxane, of Florence; grandchildren, Rebecca Arritt and husband, Will, of Alexandria, Va., Suzanne Murray and husband, Ian, of Twenty-Nine Palms, Calif., Robin Otte and husband, Jared, of Florence, and Patrick Grimes, of Florence; great-granddaughter, Reese Otte; brothers, Raymond Grimes and wife, Alice, and Frank Grimes, of Florida; sisters, Sue Pippin, of Michigan, and Rachel Ellis, of South Carolina; many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Congregational Care at First United Methodist Church, Florence.
Published in Florence Times Daily on November 10, 2010
Fred Hunter Grimes, 79, of Florence, died Monday, Nov. 8, 2010, at ECM Hospital.
The funeral service, with military honors, will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Elkins Funeral Home. The Rev. Mike Pope will officiate. Entombment will follow at Tri-Cities Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends 6-8 p.m. today and 10-11 a.m. Thursday at Elkins Funeral Home.
Mr. Grimes was born in Iron City, Tenn., on Feb. 4, 1931. He spent his formative years in Collinwood and graduated from Collinwood High School, where he enjoyed playing on the basketball team. He was married to his loving and supportive wife, Winnie Mae Rich, for 50 years, before her passing in 2004.
Mr. Grimes enlisted in the U.S. Navy when he was 17 years old and served his country honorably for 25 years, before retiring as a lieutenant commander in 1973. During his Naval career, LCDR Grimes served in a variety of assignments at sea and ashore. During his early years in the Navy, Mr. Grimes served in several recruit training leadership positions at the San Diego Naval Training Center and performed damage control duties on board the USS Duxbury Bay and USS Krishna. From 1962-63, he served as commanding officer of the Naval Reserve Training Unit in Natchez, Miss. A Korean and Vietnam War veteran, LCDR Grimes served as a military adviser to the Vietnamese Navy in Saigon, Vietnam, from 1964-65. From 1966-69, LCDR Grimes served as commander of the Naval fleet tug boat station in Newport, R.I., where he enjoyed stationing his tug boats as "turn buoys" during annual America's Cup races. He returned to sea duty from 1969-71, serving as the engineering officer on board the USS Observation Island, based out of Cape Canaveral, Fla. His final tour of duty in the Navy was in a leadership position at the Naval Training Command in Orlando, Fla., from 1971-73. He received numerous awards throughout his military career.
Upon completion of his military career, Mr. Grimes joined Folger Coffee Co. in Slidell, La., serving as their chief plant engineer from 1974-75. In 1975, Fred and Mae returned to Florence, Ala., where he studied business at the University of North Alabama. He then accepted a position as the manager of Courtview Towers in Florence from 1975 until he retired a second time in 1983.
Mr. Grimes, affectionately known as Pepa to his children and grandchildren, was a strong, quiet man. Through the years, he enjoyed playing golf, bowling, basketball and strongly supported his sons in all of their athletic and academic endeavors. He provided the strong support that was so helpful to his wife, Mae, throughout their years in the Navy and as she operated her Merle Norman Cosmetics business in Florence. He was a member of First United Methodist Church of Florence and provided strong support to the church and to Mae as she faithfully served in many caring capacities for First United Church of Florence through the years.
Mr. Grimes is survived by sons, Michael K. Grimes and wife, Karen, of Fayetteville, Ga., and Phillip A. Grimes and wife, Roxane, of Florence; grandchildren, Rebecca Arritt and husband, Will, of Alexandria, Va., Suzanne Murray and husband, Ian, of Twenty-Nine Palms, Calif., Robin Otte and husband, Jared, of Florence, and Patrick Grimes, of Florence; great-granddaughter, Reese Otte; brothers, Raymond Grimes and wife, Alice, and Frank Grimes, of Florida; sisters, Sue Pippin, of Michigan, and Rachel Ellis, of South Carolina; many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Congregational Care at First United Methodist Church, Florence.
Published in Florence Times Daily on November 10, 2010
The funeral service, with military honors, will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Elkins Funeral Home. The Rev. Mike Pope will officiate. Entombment will follow at Tri-Cities Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends 6-8 p.m. today and 10-11 a.m. Thursday at Elkins Funeral Home.
Mr. Grimes was born in Iron City, Tenn., on Feb. 4, 1931. He spent his formative years in Collinwood and graduated from Collinwood High School, where he enjoyed playing on the basketball team. He was married to his loving and supportive wife, Winnie Mae Rich, for 50 years, before her passing in 2004.
Mr. Grimes enlisted in the U.S. Navy when he was 17 years old and served his country honorably for 25 years, before retiring as a lieutenant commander in 1973. During his Naval career, LCDR Grimes served in a variety of assignments at sea and ashore. During his early years in the Navy, Mr. Grimes served in several recruit training leadership positions at the San Diego Naval Training Center and performed damage control duties on board the USS Duxbury Bay and USS Krishna. From 1962-63, he served as commanding officer of the Naval Reserve Training Unit in Natchez, Miss. A Korean and Vietnam War veteran, LCDR Grimes served as a military adviser to the Vietnamese Navy in Saigon, Vietnam, from 1964-65. From 1966-69, LCDR Grimes served as commander of the Naval fleet tug boat station in Newport, R.I., where he enjoyed stationing his tug boats as "turn buoys" during annual America's Cup races. He returned to sea duty from 1969-71, serving as the engineering officer on board the USS Observation Island, based out of Cape Canaveral, Fla. His final tour of duty in the Navy was in a leadership position at the Naval Training Command in Orlando, Fla., from 1971-73. He received numerous awards throughout his military career.
Upon completion of his military career, Mr. Grimes joined Folger Coffee Co. in Slidell, La., serving as their chief plant engineer from 1974-75. In 1975, Fred and Mae returned to Florence, Ala., where he studied business at the University of North Alabama. He then accepted a position as the manager of Courtview Towers in Florence from 1975 until he retired a second time in 1983.
Mr. Grimes, affectionately known as Pepa to his children and grandchildren, was a strong, quiet man. Through the years, he enjoyed playing golf, bowling, basketball and strongly supported his sons in all of their athletic and academic endeavors. He provided the strong support that was so helpful to his wife, Mae, throughout their years in the Navy and as she operated her Merle Norman Cosmetics business in Florence. He was a member of First United Methodist Church of Florence and provided strong support to the church and to Mae as she faithfully served in many caring capacities for First United Church of Florence through the years.
Mr. Grimes is survived by sons, Michael K. Grimes and wife, Karen, of Fayetteville, Ga., and Phillip A. Grimes and wife, Roxane, of Florence; grandchildren, Rebecca Arritt and husband, Will, of Alexandria, Va., Suzanne Murray and husband, Ian, of Twenty-Nine Palms, Calif., Robin Otte and husband, Jared, of Florence, and Patrick Grimes, of Florence; great-granddaughter, Reese Otte; brothers, Raymond Grimes and wife, Alice, and Frank Grimes, of Florida; sisters, Sue Pippin, of Michigan, and Rachel Ellis, of South Carolina; many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Congregational Care at First United Methodist Church, Florence.
Published in Florence Times Daily on November 10, 2010
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