Thelma May Cobb Grimes

Thelma was born Thelma May Cobb on July 1, 1922 in Los Angeles, CA. She grew up in Highland Park, CA where she attended Garvanza Grammar School, Luther Burbank Jr. High School, and Benjamin Franklin High School. Thelma graduated from Benjamin Franklin High School as a member of the Class of 1940. Of the 214 graduates, Thelma was one of only six graduates to receive the honor of CSF Lifetime Membership.

While in high school, Thelma was not particularly interested in sports, but did find pleasure and enjoyment in the Modern Dancing Class. Thelma was also a member of the Photo Club. College Prepatory English was her favorite class with Miss Robinson being her favorite teacher. Thelma excelled as a musician. With her mother as her private teacher, Thelma soon became an accomplished pianist and organist.

While in High School, she had the opportunity to accompany her parents to a railroad convention in Canada where she met the man with whom she would spend the rest of her life. Their first “date” did not meet with complete success. Don came to her hotel room and invited her out to have a “coke.” She said she did not like coke and closed the door. Her mother, who overheard the conversation, said “there are other things to drink besides coke.” Ever the romantic, Don continued to pursue her and even composed a poem that he penned in the diary that she was keeping while on that trip.

After their first “date”, they continued to correspond for the next several months prior to her graduation. Her graduation scrapbook contains numerous memorabilia and congratulatory cards. Among those cards was one destined to change her life. It was signed “Love, Don.”

Following graduation from high school, Thelma received a scholarship to attend the University of Redlands to major in library science with a minor in pipe organ. Thelma's favorite piece of music was the "Moonlight Sonata" composed by Beethoven. During that time, Thelma and Don continued to date, as he had relocated to Southern California to attend Aircraft Maintenance School. Because it was wartime, things moved faster than normal. This included their relationship. After only two and a half years of dating, they were married in Little Rock, AK.

They moved to Selfridge Field, MI because he was drafted into the Army Air Corps. Thirteen months later their first child was born - Margaret Louise Grimes. After his enlistment was up in 1944, they relocated to Norton Air Force Base located in San Bernardino, CA, where he worked for the civil service as an aircraft maintenance specialist for the next twenty years. Their family continued to grow with the birth of their second child - Thomas Donald Grimes III. Their last child was born two years later - Robert William Grimes. Thelma stayed at home to raise and care for her three children.

In 1953, Thelma and the family purchased their first home in Rialto. After her youngest son turned seven, she began her professional career. For the next fifty years, she worked as a legal secretary for three San Bernardino law firms. She became a member of the San Bernardino Legal Secretaries’ Association. In 1983, she was elected president of that association.

After her children graduated from high school, Don launched into an apartment management career, while she continued her career as a legal secretary. They managed several apartment complexes before deciding to purchase a home in Highland, CA.

A lifelong Baptist, she was first a member of the First Baptist Church of Los Angeles where she was baptized. When the family moved to Rialto, they joined the First Baptist Church of Redlands. She remained a faithful member of that church.

After Don passed away in 1999, she devoted herself to volunteer work with the St. Bernardine Medical Center and Santa Claus Inc. Thelma consistently gave of her time, kindness, caring, and compassion to help those in need of comfort and support. She was an active volunteer until her death.

She is survived by two children Margaret and Bob, four grandchildren, and six great grandchildren.

Arrangements under the direction of Montecito Memorial Park & Mortuary, Colton, CA.