Alice J. Grimsley
February 18, 1927 — May 28, 2010
Alice Jean Grimsley was born on February 18, 1927 in Dunkerton Iowa. She was the fourth of eight children born to William and Clarice (Hasbrouck) Koobs. She was raised in Grundy Center, Iowa, where she graduated from Grundy Center High School in 1945. She was planning to attend her 65th Class Reunion this July.
On September 27, 1947, Alice was united in marriage to Leonard Wise Grimsley in Arlington, Virginia, where Leonard was attending law school at George Washington University. They returned to Iowa in 1948 to begin and raise their family. Six children were born to this union: Gene, Claudia, Debbie, Mark, Tim and Ruthanne.
After early years in the Marshalltown, Grundy Center and Waterloo areas, Alice and Leonard relocated to Harlan, Iowa in 1958. They primarily chose Harlan because of the Bethel Baptist Church where Alice remained a member from 1958 until the day she died. She served the church in various capacities: Janitor, Clerk, Pianist and her favorite, Organist of the beautiful pipe organ. Alice loved her Lord, her family, her church and her country very much. She was a matriarch not only to her six children, but to numerous neighborhood kids as well.
Alice had several occupations after her children were in school. She was a Ward Clerk at the hospital, where she ran a very taut ship. She was later a janitor at Concerned Inc. She helped people in need with rides to doctor appointments or airport pickups. She was a care giver for eighteen years to her husband after a car accident left him paralyzed. She continued care giving to numerous others following Leonard’s death in 1986. But Alice was best known for her ironing. She ironed for many people over the years and was considered the best around by most.
Alice enjoyed ceramics in her early married life and later, her gardening and flowers. She was most known for her corner of beautiful moss roses. She loved playing the piano and the organ - hymns and patriotic songs were the favorites. Alice was a patriot, she loved the military and all it stood for.
Alice was a lifelong volunteer. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. She was a member of the Myrtue Memorial Auxiliary and worked the hospital gift shop for many years. She was a courier for the Myrtue Memorial Hospital lab and the American Red Cross.
Alice died on Friday, May 28, 2010 at the Myrtue Memorial Hospital in Harlan having attained the age of eighty-three years, three months and ten days. In addition to her parents, Alice was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Leonard; her brother Jerry Koobs; sisters, Maxine Koobs Sietsema and Margaret Koobs Strehle; brothers in law, Harvey Sietsema, Lester Wood and Phillip Strehle, her great-grandson Jason Carlisle and her son-in-law Gregory Carlisle.
She is survived by her children: Gene Grimsley and his wife Shelly of Council Bluffs, Iowa, Claudia Carlisle of Phoenix, Arizona, Deborah and her husband Louie Chavez of Farmington, New Mexico, Mark Grimsley, of Omaha, Nebraska, Timothy Grimsley and Nancy of Avoca, Iowa and Ruthanne Grimsley of Harlan; her sister Patti Wood of Arlington, Virginia; her sister-in-law, Darlene Koobs of Dike, Iowa; her brothers, Claire Koobs and his wife Blanche of Grundy Center, Iowa, Roger Koobs and his wife Heidi of Tucson, Arizona and Jack Koobs and his wife Jean of Raleigh, North Carolina; her grandchildren Virginia and her husband Rick Bold, Scott Grimsley and his wife Traci, Christen and her husband Larry Stiverson, Karen LaRoche, Sarah Chavez; Richard Armell and his wife Cara and Julie Mikels; fifteen great grandchildren, other relatives and many many friends.
Funeral Services were held on Sunday, May 30, 2010, at Bethel Baptist Church in Harlan, Iowa, with Robert Wullschleger officiating the 2:00 PM service. Interment was held at the Harlan Cemetery with Gail Koobs, Kendell Strehle, Scott Grimsley, Joshua Carlisle, Louis Chavez, Jay Christensen, Nancy Kay Gress, and Debbie Nowatzke serving as casket bearers.
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On September 27, 1947, Alice was united in marriage to Leonard Wise Grimsley in Arlington, Virginia, where Leonard was attending law school at George Washington University. They returned to Iowa in 1948 to begin and raise their family. Six children were born to this union: Gene, Claudia, Debbie, Mark, Tim and Ruthanne.
After early years in the Marshalltown, Grundy Center and Waterloo areas, Alice and Leonard relocated to Harlan, Iowa in 1958. They primarily chose Harlan because of the Bethel Baptist Church where Alice remained a member from 1958 until the day she died. She served the church in various capacities: Janitor, Clerk, Pianist and her favorite, Organist of the beautiful pipe organ. Alice loved her Lord, her family, her church and her country very much. She was a matriarch not only to her six children, but to numerous neighborhood kids as well.
Alice had several occupations after her children were in school. She was a Ward Clerk at the hospital, where she ran a very taut ship. She was later a janitor at Concerned Inc. She helped people in need with rides to doctor appointments or airport pickups. She was a care giver for eighteen years to her husband after a car accident left him paralyzed. She continued care giving to numerous others following Leonard’s death in 1986. But Alice was best known for her ironing. She ironed for many people over the years and was considered the best around by most.
Alice enjoyed ceramics in her early married life and later, her gardening and flowers. She was most known for her corner of beautiful moss roses. She loved playing the piano and the organ - hymns and patriotic songs were the favorites. Alice was a patriot, she loved the military and all it stood for.
Alice was a lifelong volunteer. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. She was a member of the Myrtue Memorial Auxiliary and worked the hospital gift shop for many years. She was a courier for the Myrtue Memorial Hospital lab and the American Red Cross.
Alice died on Friday, May 28, 2010 at the Myrtue Memorial Hospital in Harlan having attained the age of eighty-three years, three months and ten days. In addition to her parents, Alice was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Leonard; her brother Jerry Koobs; sisters, Maxine Koobs Sietsema and Margaret Koobs Strehle; brothers in law, Harvey Sietsema, Lester Wood and Phillip Strehle, her great-grandson Jason Carlisle and her son-in-law Gregory Carlisle.
She is survived by her children: Gene Grimsley and his wife Shelly of Council Bluffs, Iowa, Claudia Carlisle of Phoenix, Arizona, Deborah and her husband Louie Chavez of Farmington, New Mexico, Mark Grimsley, of Omaha, Nebraska, Timothy Grimsley and Nancy of Avoca, Iowa and Ruthanne Grimsley of Harlan; her sister Patti Wood of Arlington, Virginia; her sister-in-law, Darlene Koobs of Dike, Iowa; her brothers, Claire Koobs and his wife Blanche of Grundy Center, Iowa, Roger Koobs and his wife Heidi of Tucson, Arizona and Jack Koobs and his wife Jean of Raleigh, North Carolina; her grandchildren Virginia and her husband Rick Bold, Scott Grimsley and his wife Traci, Christen and her husband Larry Stiverson, Karen LaRoche, Sarah Chavez; Richard Armell and his wife Cara and Julie Mikels; fifteen great grandchildren, other relatives and many many friends.
Funeral Services were held on Sunday, May 30, 2010, at Bethel Baptist Church in Harlan, Iowa, with Robert Wullschleger officiating the 2:00 PM service. Interment was held at the Harlan Cemetery with Gail Koobs, Kendell Strehle, Scott Grimsley, Joshua Carlisle, Louis Chavez, Jay Christensen, Nancy Kay Gress, and Debbie Nowatzke serving as casket bearers.
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