Geraldine Ann Grimes

July 28, 1929 - January 24, 2017

Geraldine Ann Grimes, age 87, of Albia, passed away on Tuesday, January 24, 2017, at the Monroe Care Center in Albia surrounded by her family. Geraldine was born on July 28, 1929, in Weller, Iowa to William Martin and Mary Ann (Bingaman) Flahive. She grew up and graduated from the Lovilia High School with the class of 1947. She married Paul Robert Grimes, on October 2, 1948, at St. Peters Catholic Church in Lovilia. To this union four children were born, Darlene, Jeff, Beverly and Mark. They shared 52 years of marriage before Paul’s passing on September 10, 2001. Geraldine was a homemaker before she worked at Casey’s General Store and Dandee’s Grocery Store. She was a member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Lovilia and of St. Peter’s Altar and Rosary Society. She was an excellent cook and was known for her chocolate chip cookies, chocolate pies and homemade ketchup. Geraldine enjoyed dancing, playing card games such as pitch, hearts and spades, crocheting, being outdoors, gardening, watching soap operas and sports, especially Iowa Hawkeye’s Basketball. Her real joy in life was spending time with family and friends. Geraldine is survived by her children, Jeffrey (Mary) Grimes of Lovilia, Beverly (Scott) Selby of Colorado Springs and Mark (Sally) Grimes of Marysville, IA; 9 grandchildren, Stacy Garrison, Julie Collier, Tammi Griffin, Molly Moore, Jennifer Westrom-Crabtree, Andrew Selby, Emily Selby, Tyler Grimes and Rachel Rosa and 11 great-grandchildren. Geraldine is also survived by five sisters, Mary Theresa Grimes of Albia, Marjorie (Edward) Martin of Cave Creek, AZ, Florence (Donald) Welch of Winterset, Catherine (Jack) Thomas of San Marcos, CA, Delores Littlejohn of West Des Moines, a brother, Jim (Diane) Flahive of Albia, many nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul Grimes; a daughter, Darlene Grimes; parents, William and Mary Flahive, three brothers Edward, William and John Flahive, and three sisters Madeline Stanley, Jo Ann Derby and Bernice Flattery. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, January 27, 2017 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Albia, with Father Michael E. Volkmer C.PP.S. and Father Mark Yates C.PP.S. officiating. Burial will follow services at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Albia. Visitation will be held from 3:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Thursday, January 26, 2017 at the Tharp Funeral Home in Albia, with Geraldine's family present from 4 to 8 p.m. A 4:00 p.m. rosary will be led by St. Mary’s Altar and Rosary Society and a wake service will be held at 6:00 p.m. A memorial has been established to the Monroe Care Center in Albia or to the Alzheimer’s Association.