William Grim Locke

Following graduation from Ashdown High School, he attended the University of Arkansas, where he played football and basketball. He enlisted in the U. S. Navy and was assigned to the V-12 program at the University of Louisville. He was discharged from the Navy in order to enter the U. S. Military Academy. Upon graduation in 1948, he was commissioned as an officer in the U. S. Army and then transferred to the U.S. Air Force.

Before reporting to Randolph AFB for flight training, Grim and Sharon Hooper were married on 26 June in Athens, Texas. Sharon, an accomplished pianist since childhood, and who received numerous awards, studied piano at SMU and University of Texas before leaving Texas to live the military life with Grim.

They moved to various bases around the world and across the US, raising their four daughters in diverse locations. Sharon continued her daily practice wherever they were, and taught piano as well.

Upon completion of flight training, Grim was assigned to a jet fighter squadron on Cape Cod, MA. He was sent to the Aircraft Controller’s School at Tyndall AFB, FL, and later instructed there before being deployed to Okinawa during the Korean War. Returning stateside, he was assigned to a jet fighter squadron and then the Western Air Defense Force HQ. at Hamilton AFB, CA. In that position, he coordinated the introduction of the F-102 to squadrons along the West Coast.

After graduating from the Air Command and Staff School at Maxwell AFB, AL, Grim was assigned as a fighter advisor to the Royal Thai Air Force in Bangkok, Thailand. Sharon did a magnificent job of packing and taking care of their four girls during five days of travel by MATS, and all of them adapted well to the unusual conditions they encountered in a foreign land. As an extra duty during the Vietnam War, Grim provided support to USAF and U. S. Marine units deployed to bases in Thailand.

He was next assigned to attend the Harvard Business School, where he was elected President of the Student Association by his classmates and received an MBA degree With Distinction. From there he went to HQ. USAF and became manager of a $150 million program. While at the Pentagon, he was transferred to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, from which he retired in 1969.

After retirement from USAF Grim accepted a position with the Wyly Brothers in Dallas, TX at University Computing, after interviewing with Ross Perot and deciding not to accept his generous and impressive offer - Perot ran his outfit/company like the military, and it was time for the looser, more carefree civilian life.

To that end, Grim enjoyed playing bridge, golf, dominoes, pool (a true master of the green felt), card games of all kinds, opera, basketball with his daughters and grandchildren, football on the lawn of their many homes around the world, Chopin Nocturnes, crossword puzzles, dancing, singing, laughing, regaling friends with tales of his youth on the family farms in Arkansas, hearing stories of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and writing long letters and emails to many around the world.

Grim was a particularly wonderful portrait and travel photographer, capturing beautiful photographs around the world. Every year he would gather Sharon and his four girls - who were dressed in their finest outfits - and pick a spot with the best lighting and get to work with his Rollieflex camera, making sure the light was perfect with his little grey light meter held close. Family slide shows were a monthly event, and one was held a few weeks before his death to remind him of his hard work and beautiful images.

He and Frances Locke Winters, his sister, formed a family limited partnership to own and operate Arkansas farms and timberlands inherited from their parents. Grim was the Managing Partner, and his daughters became general and limited partners. He also served as trustee of a trust established by his mother for the benefit of his daughters.

Throughout his life, Grim’s name was a source of many head tilts and questions, and the brief answer is that a successful businessman in Texarkana named Mr. Grim (the Grim Hotel still stands there and was just historically renovated) helped his parents save the family farms which had been in the family since 1835. Out of gratitude and respect, they named their son after him. His name was not a reflection of his character!

Grim and Sharon took the lessons learned from their early years in rural Arkansas and brought them to bear on their 60 years of marriage and parenting of their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. They were wonderful stewards of their families’ heritage preserving the memories and stories of those who went before them.

They divorced in 2007. Grim was remarried to Carolyn Lewis of Ruston, LA until her death. He then moved to Austin, TX to be close to two of his daughters and continued enjoying the company of those at his independent living home, and Sandy.

Grim continued the legacy of his family’s farms through the planting of pine prairies and eventually membership in the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), receiving awards for that stewardship and partnership with the World Wildlife Fund and other environmental programs. We thank the forestry team in Ashdown, AR for that honor.

Grim, and Sharon, are survived by their four daughters, 9 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren: Charmaine Locke (James Surls) of Carbondale, CO; Charisse Locke Mayer (David Mayer), of Providence, RI; Sharon Reed (Rod Reed) of Atherton, CA; and Stacey Locke, of Austin, TX.; 9 Grandchildren: Ruby Surls, Albert Mayer, Lily Surls, Zachary Mayer, Eva Surls, Andrew Reed, Will Reed, Molly Surls, Austin Mayer 11 Great-grandchildren: Aberdeen Kennedy; Alice, Louisa, and Helena Mayer; McQueen and Savoir Mayer; and Vesper Mayer; Taylor and Zoe Reed; River Surlssmith and Adona Canul.