Janet LaVonne Grimes

Janet was born June 18, 1925 in Kansas City MO and passed away February 9, 2013 in her home at Cary NC. She was the daughter of A.J. and Margret Moore and lived the first twelve years of her life in Kansas City before moving to Green Mountain, IA where she met her future husband, Dale M. Grimes, in seventh grade. They graduated from Green Mountain High School in 1943, during the midst of WW II. She spent the next two years in further schooling at Des Moines before returning to Marshalltown where she worked until 1947 when she married Dale, then a student at Iowa State University, and joined him in residence at Ames. She was a devoted and loving wife, friend, companion, and advisor to Dale for nearly 66 years.

Janet and Dale moved to Ann Arbor MI in 1951 when Dale joined the research staff of The University of Michigan. There she made a home for Dale and their two children. Her survivors are: Prudence Holman, Davis CA and Craig Grimes, Raleigh NC. Elizabeth, Keltin, and Kyra Grimes of Raleigh, Richard Holman of Davis, and James and Nissa Holman of Pittsburgh.

In her mid-forties she studied and became a private pilot and participated with the Ninety-Nines, the women’s flying organization. She enjoyed many ski trips with friends and family, especially to Vail, Colorado, and Boyne Mountain, Michigan. Also in her forties she became a tennis player and a founding member of the Ann Arbor Racquet Club. In every activity, she made many friends, most of whom she remained close to throughout her life.

Janet was an avid flower gardener, and her homes were beautiful with flowers both outside and in. She was a gracious hostess at many parties for friends and faculty and an active member both of the university faculty club at each of the many universities where Dale was located and at their racquet clubs. For example, in El Paso she joined the El Paso Racquet Club and oversaw cooperative actions between the El Paso, TX and Juarez, Mex. Racquet Clubs.

Janet and Dale moved to Penn State in 1979; there she was an active member of PSU’s Women’s Faculty Club; she cohosted the University of Michigan contingent of the Big 10 Women Faculty Clubs in 2010. She was an active member of PSU’s racquet club as long as her health permitted.

Janet and Dale traveled extensively and have friends throughout the world.

She and Dale moved to Cary, NC in 2012. She passed away at her Cary home February 9, 2013 surrounded by her loving family; she will be sorely missed.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made in her name to: Hospice of Wake County, 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh NC 27607-6372.