John Grimes passed from his earthly home to his Heavenly home on Tuesday morning, October 20, 2020, after only a few days under hospice care.
He was born March 15, 1943, in Salisbury, N.C, the son of John F. Grimes Jr., and Virginia Williams Grimes. He considered one of his life’s great blessings to have grown up in the small mill town of Cooleemee in Davie County. He grew up on Davie Street along with over 40 young children, many of whom became lifelong friends. Their antics at the “Bull Hole” are the stuff of which endless stories have been told.
He grew up in the Methodist church in Cooleemee. Upon moving to Siler City, he became a member of First Baptist Church where he served as Chairman of the Board of Deacons and taught Sunday School youth and adult men reflecting the influence of his maternal grandfather, who was a Primitive Baptist preacher in Stanly County.
He was a patriotic citizen and took seriously the obligation to vote. He cast his first vote after registering as a Republican in Davie County as an 18-year-old. He voted in every subsequent national, state, and municipal election, wherever he lived in his life, including his years of military service abroad. His last vote was on Friday, October 16, four days prior to his passing.
He was an outstanding athlete, widely recruited as a Davie County High School senior throughout the South and the recipient of 22 offers of full grant-in-aid scholarships, including every school in the ACC. He was the first athlete from Davie County to receive an athletic scholarship to a Division 1 NCAA school. He was inducted into the Davie County Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007.
He entered Wake Forest in 1961, enrolled in the ROTC program, joined Sigma Chi fraternity, made many enduring friendships, was a Coach Tate-designated BlueChip football player and team captain, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree. At the conclusion of his collegiate career, he received pro offers from the Baltimore Colts and the Cleveland Browns, but opted rather to fulfill his military obligation. He served as a commissioned officer and Troop Commander in the 3rd/8th Cavalry of the 8th Infantry Division in Germany, retiring with the rank of Captain.
In 1968, in response to a letter from his father-in-law asking him to join Cecil Budd Tire Company, he came to Siler City. His career as a successful businessman there spanned 49 years.
He was intensely interested in political matters and became the first and only Republican elected to the Chatham County Board of Commissioners during the twentieth century. Not only was he elected, he led the ticket, serving from 1994-1998. He then turned his political interests to Siler City, running successfully for District 4 Town Commissioner from 1999-2003, and re-elected for subsequent terms in 2003, 2007, and 2011. He was a peer-elected Mayor Pro Tem for 10 years before winning terms for Mayor in 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019. Mayor Grimes died during his fourth term.
He was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina’s highest civilian honor, given to persons who have made significant contribution to the state through their exemplary service and exceptional accomplishments.
He was a former volunteer fireman for the Town, a board director for Capital Bank, an Eagle Scout, and a member in good standing of Alcoholic Anonymous since 1985. For 35 years, each February he celebrated his sobriety birthday with a German Chocolate Cake at an AA meeting. Usually he was the speaker and asked to share his experience, strength, and hope.
Governor James Martin appointed him to the Commission for Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services and to the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Military Affairs. Later in life, he would pass small gratitude cards to members of the military whenever he encountered them to thank them for their service.
He was a unique and amazing combination of strength and gentleness, fortitude tempered by compassion, and resilience sustained by great faith and assurance of grace by his heavenly Father.
Among his varied interests were walking through nature, especially at the farm, bird hunting with his bird dog Zeus, routinely reading a morning newspaper over coffee, working the daily Boggle BrainBusters puzzle, selecting fresh fruit with great expertise acquired from his Granddaddy Grimes, following Wake Forest sports and keeping up with his many friends through social media and his iPhone. He began each day sitting in front of the big sunny window in his breakfast room surrounded by his books. After awaking, he would quip, “I’m headed for my library now.”
The Family wishes to acknowledge the extraordinary attention paid to him throughout the past years by Pastor Cecil Wilson who has faithfully walked with us through this journey and over the last year drove to our home repeatedly and stood in the driveway looking at John through the window and praying for him. It was a great, great comfort.
All these things were important to him, but his greatest joy came from his family. He carried on a lifelong correspondence with his sister, receiving his most recent letter from her a few weeks before his passing. During the last weekend of his life, family members repeatedly asked if there was anything he wanted. He answered, “I want to see my grandchildren.” Quickly they responded, loving their Daddi’ as only they could.
In a moving tribute by a member of Congress, the family was notified that the American Flag flown over the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., on the day of his passing has been sent to Siler City for use at his service.
His service was on the grounds of Chatham Charter School on Saturday, October 24. A private interment was held at Mount Vernon Springs Presbyterian Church with full military honors. Pastor Cecil Wilson officiated.
Pallbearers were Fred Pierce, Mitch Dorsett, Mike Kelly, Gary Tyson, Danny Albright, Jonathan Grimes, Andrew Maddox, Keyes Hudson and Jim Januzelli. Honorary pallbearers were Albert Alston, James Jordan, Jim Davis, Ed Spence, Art Bergida, Chuck Maley, John Hinton, Bill Milholen, Jason Januzelli and Josh Januzelli.
The service was broadcast internationally via the web www.nfiradio.com and can be seen at https://youtu.be/6A6QL3u8xw0.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Cecilia Budd Grimes; two sons, John Thomas and wife Alysia of Clemmons, N.C., and Stephen and wife Marcia of Siler City; a sister, Kathy Januzelli and brother-in-law Jim of Lawrenceville, Georgia; grandchildren Alaina and Andrew, Jonathan, Abigail, Julia, Tucker, Sophia, Daniel and several nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to Fellowship Hall, P.O. Box 13890, Greensboro, NC 27415 or to Mount Vernon Springs Presbyterian Church Cemetery Fund, 1225 Mount Vernon Springs Road, Siler City, NC 27344.
