Obituary - Dorothy A. Grimes

Dorothy Grimes, 103, Pullman

Dorothy Ann Grimes, a longtime Pullman resident, was born June 17, 1908, at Moscow's then Gritman Hospital, to Clara and John Hordemann. She died Jan. 2, 2012, at Bishop Place, following a short illness brought on by a stroke in early December.

Dorothy, the third of six children, grew up on the 640-acre family farm south of Moscow in the Thorncreek area. She told family, "On one side of Thorncreek the people were Swedish and Norwegian, and on the other side we were German. But we all got along." As one of 14 students, she attended a one-room rural school for seven years, skipping the fourth grade, riding a pony or walking the two-and-a-half miles on nice days. After passing the eighth-grade state examination, she entered high school at the Ursuline Academy in Moscow, graduating in 1925.

After high school, she enrolled at Lewiston State Normal School, (LSNS), now Lewis-Clark State College. After one year, she was given a teaching certificate that allowed her to teach for three years. At the age of 18, she began teaching in Deary, Troy and later at lower Thorncreek, near Moscow, which allowed her to live at home and ride the family pony, walk or drive her older brother's Model T Ford to work.

She returned to LSNS for another year and received a certificate allowing her to teach in Idaho for life. Dorothy enjoyed her time at LSNS, recalling good times at "matinee" dances, the junior prom, and ballet and archery classes. She taught four more years in upper Thorncreek, near Uniontown. In summers she attended the University of Idaho. She would tell about her future husband, who had a pilot's license, buzzing over the school building to her consternation and the children's delight.

Dorothy's teaching career ended in June 1934 when she married Kester (Kes) Grimes, the buzzing pilot, at her parents' home. Kes began his career as a grain dealer and became manager of the Pullman Grain Growers. Later he was controller of the WSU Student Bookstore, having earned a bachelor's degree at WSU in accounting. The couple met at a dance and continued their love of ballroom dancing through the years. They took advantage of every opportunity to dance, and it was rare that a weekend would pass that they did not go dancing. They knew almost every ballroom dance. She wrote in a memory book that as a child she wanted to grow up being a professional dancer.

Kester was active in Pullman government, serving on the city council and then as mayor. Grimes Way on the WSU campus is named after Kester's father, George, who, after nearly 50 years at then Washington State College, retired in 1948 as superintendent of buildings.

Dorothy worked at the WSU Student Bookstore during registration and before Christmas. She did volunteer work at the Blood Bank, helped with voter registration and with Respite, was a Cub Scout den mother, served as a Pink Lady at Pullman Memorial Hospital for 50 years - retiring when she reached 90 - taught bridge and modeled dresses for local clothing stores. She kept busy with charity work by tying quilts, providing food baskets to needy families and milk to school children while a member of Neighborly Neighbors. Neighborly Neighbors, established in 1904, was a socially conscious group of women who met every Thursday. Dorothy joined the club in 1943. Dorothy was a member of the Pullman Historical Club for more than 50 years, seven bridge clubs, Widows' Club, Wednesday Lunch Bunch, Altar Society and Pullman Senior Citizens.

She also was an avid reader, reserving new books before Neill Library had them shelved. She averaged about one book a week. Other hobbies included working crossword puzzles, jumbled words puzzles, visiting with family and friends, and eating out.

Surviving are her two sons; numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband Kester; brothers Ernest (Lexie) Hordemann and Willis (Bernadine) Hordemann; her sisters, Ethel (Jim) Knight, Gertrude (Edward "Bud") Anshutz, and Evelyn (Charles "Chick") Talbott; nephews James Hordemann and Geoffrey Grimes; and niece Moffett Winn.

Dorothy was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and always had her same place to sit, Sunday after Sunday. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. June 15 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Pullman. She will be buried next to her husband, Kester, at the Pullman IOOF Cemetery. Memorials can be made to one's favorite charity in her memory. Kimball Funeral Home of Pullman is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be sent to www.kimballfh.com.

Lewiston Tribune, January 6, 2012 p. 9A
Transcribed by Jill Leonard Nock