Fred Hunter Grimes, 79, of Florence, died Monday, November 8, 2010 at ECM Hospital.
The funeral service, with military honors, will be Thursday at 11:00 a.m. at Elkins Funeral Home. The Rev. Mike Pope will officiate. Entombment will follow at Tri-Cities Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends at Elkins Funeral Home Wednesday from 6:00-8:00 p.m. and Thursday from 10:00-11:00 a.m.
Mr. Grimes was born in Iron City, Tennessee on February 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 United States Navy when he was seventeen 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 1962-1963, he served as Commanding Officer of the Naval Reserve Training Unit in Natchez, Mississippi. A Korean and Vietnam War veteran, LCDR Grimes served as a military advisor to the Vietnamese Navy in Saigon, Vietnam from 1964-1965. From 1966-1969, LCDR Grimes served as Commander of the Naval fleet tug boat station in Newport, Rhode Island, where he enjoyed stationing his tug boats as "turn buoys" during annual America''s Cup races. He returned to sea duty from 1969-1971, serving as the Engineering Officer on board the USS Observation Island, based out of Cape Canaveral, Florida. His final tour of duty in the Navy was in a leadership position at the Naval Training Command in Orlando, Florida from 1971-1973. He received numerous awards throughout his military career.
Upon completion of his military career, Mr. Grimes joined Folger Coffee Company in Slidell, LA., serving as their Chief Plant Engineer from 1974-1975. In 1975, Fred and Mae returned to Florence, AL, 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 the 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 the First United Church of Florence over 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, CA, 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 FL; 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 the First United Methodist Church, Florence.