Grace Grimes, age 83, Omaha, Neb. died Sunday, September 13 at Methodist Hospital in Omaha. Grace was born November 14, 1931 in Benson, Minn. to Gustav and Ida (Behl) Thayer.
After graduating from North Dakota State University in 1953 with a bachelor’s degree in home economics, Grace began her career as a county extension agent in southern Minnesota. On June 23, 1956, Grace was united in marriage to Myron “Mike” Grimes at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Langlade. In the early years of her marriage, she taught school. In 1960, the couple bought their first home in St. Cloud, Minn. and Grace focused on raising her three children.
In 1966, her husband accepted a new job with Standard Oil of Ohio and moved the family to Lima, Ohio. When her youngest child began school, Grace returned to teaching and ultimately, became the home economics teacher at Lima Central Catholic High School. In the summers, Grace was a 4-H Club leader.
When Standard Oil transferred the family to central Illinois, they settled in Mahomet, Ill. Mike and Grace spent twenty years there and were active in the founding of Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Church. Grace continued her work with youth by chairing the Conference of Christian Doctrine (CCD) program for the church. Always active, Grace also took advantage of her proximity to the University of Illinois, where she became a research assistant and earned a master’s degree in education in 1976.
With the kids gone and ready for retirement, the couple moved to Langlade, where they renovated the Grimes homestead. Grace belonged to the St. Stanislaus Alter Society, Sleigh Bells Walking Club and the local book club. After her husband’s death in 2011, Grace moved to Omaha to be near her daughter, Barbara.
She enjoyed fishing, reading, cooking, and playing cards.
Grace was preceded in death by her husband, Mike; her parents; a sister, Rubell Sutton; and a brother, Reynaur Thayer.
Survivors include two daughters, Kay (Frank) Leyba, Santa Ana, Calif. and Barbara (Paul) Nietzel, Omaha, Neb.; a son, David Grimes, Langlade, three grandchildren; two sisters, Sherane Johnson of Anoka, Minn. and Colleen (Bernard) O’Neil-Kirsch of Redwood City, Calif.
A funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, September 19 at 11 a.m. at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Langlade with Reverend Roger Strebel officiating. Visitation will be Saturday at the church from 10 a.m. until the time of service. Burial will take place in the Langlade Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601 (www.alz.org)