Grimes, Gladys C.

Gladys C. Grimes, 97, of West Union, passed away Friday, April 22, 2011, at Palmer Lutheran Health Center, West Union. Funeral services for Gladys will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Bethel Presbyterian Church, West Union. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until services Thursday at the church.

Gladys Caroline (Allen) Grimes, the daughter of John and Nellie (Duncan) Allen, was born on Feb. 15, 1914, in Waterloo, Iowa, and was baptized in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Waterloo on July 5, 1914. She graduated from Waterloo's West High School in 1931. She moved to West Union in 1934 and was employed as a bookkeeper by Edwards Motor Garage.

On June 7, 1935, Gladys and Carroll “Burley” Grimes were married and four children were born into this union. They lived in West Union, dividing their time between West Union and Sun City, Ariz., from 1978 to 1995. They lived on Maple Street for 30 years and on Lincoln Drive for 30 years. In 2000, Gladys moved to Cedar Court.

Gladys was a member of Tuesday Federated Art Club, a 50 year plus member of Eastern Star, a 50 year member of the Bethel Presbyterian Church where she taught Sunday school, was an elder for three years and president of the Presbyterian Women's Association from 1965 to 1968. Gladys attended the National Meeting of Presbyterian Women at Purdue University. With her husband Carroll, they were leaders for the Junior High Youth Group. Additionally, she was a Girl Scout and Brownie leader. In later years, she ministered people through her card ministry. Gladys enjoyed taking care of her grandchildren and doing crewel embroidering.

Gladys enjoyed her family and her grandchildren were very special to her. She enjoyed traveling with her husband to annual Banker's conventions and meetings that took them to very interesting places and to places where they made many friends.

Gladys is survived by her four children, two sons, Robert Grimes of San Diego, Calif., and John (Marsha) Grimes of West Union, two daughters, Carolyn Fox of Pasadena, Calif., and Christine (Kirk) Wright of Temecula, Calif.; 10 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Preceding Gladys in death were her husband, Carroll “Burley” Grimes in 1995; her parents; three sisters; four brothers; and a grandson.

Gladys was a loving and kind person and will be greatly missed.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be given to Bethel Presbyterian Church, 208 N. Vine St., West Union, IA 52175; or to the Palmer Memorial Foundation, 112 Jefferson St., West Union, IA 52175.