Jean Annette Grimes, 80, of Park Rapids died Tuesday, November 11, 2008 at the home of her son and daughter-in-law, Joe and Jill Grimes of Park Rapids.
She was born April 6, 1928 to Otto W. and Clara N. (Bolstad) Swenson in Grand Rapids, where she lived with her brother, Glen. At age 14 she moved with her parents to St. Anthony Park. Jean graduated from Murray High School in St. Paul in 1946. She attended St. Olaf College in Northfield from 1946-50 and earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Nursing Education from the University of Minnesota in 1951.
On September 9, 1950, she married Paul T. Grimes. She taught at Fairview School of Nursing for three years while Paul attended medical school. While teaching, Jean initiated expectant parenting classes at Fairview. They moved to Harrisburg, PA in 1954. Paul completed his residency and their first son, Thomas, was born there. In the summer of 1955, they moved to Park Rapids where Paul began his medical practice and their four other children were born: Glen "Bud" in 1956, Laurel in 1958, Susan in 1959 and Joe in 1961.
Jean worked as a public health nurse in the 1970s and taught expectant parenting classes. On a long list of community activities, she was an active member of Calvary Lutheran Church, served on the state board of Planned Parenthood, provided a safe home for Battered Women and became a Founding Mother at the Village of the Smoky Hills. She also served on the citizen boards for Hubbard County Social Services and Heritage Living Center (then Sunset Nursing Home). More recently, she was active in the DFL Party, League of Women Voters of the Park Rapids Area and PEO, as well as a Visionary Partner in the Northwest Minnesota Foundation Women's Fund, the HRA board at River Heights, and a volunteer at Century Elementary School.
She also enjoyed bicycling, traveling, knitting, sewing, tending to her flower gardens and exercising at Curves.
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Surviving are her husband, Paul; brother, Glen of Grand Rapids; sister-in-law, Marjorie Broward of Jacksonville, FL; children, Thomas (Joanne) of Honolulu, Bud (Suzo) of Inver Grove Heights, Laurel Grimes of Woodbury, Susan Shepard of Lutsen, and Joe (Jill) of Park Rapids; and 13 grandchildren: Sara, Ian, Ginger, Jennifer, Kari, Kai, Tess, Cameron, Reid, Jacob, Anna, Emily, and Megan.
Memorial Services will be held on Saturday, November 15, 2008 at 1:00 PM at the Calvary Lutheran Church in Park Rapids, MN. A visitation will be held on Friday evening November 14, 2008 from 5 until 7 PM at the Cease Family Funeral Home Chapel in Park Rapids, MN. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the services at the church on Saturday. Pastor Ken Nyhusmoen will be the officiant. Roz Pederson will be organist, and Deane Johnson will be clarinetist. Congregational hymns will be "Praise To the Lord" and "Children of the Heavenly Father." A C.D. musical selection by the St. Olaf Choir, "Beautiful Savior," will be played.
Honorary Pall Bearers are her brother, Glen, and grandsons, Ian Grimes, Kai Neddersen, Cameron and Reid Shepard, and Jacob Grimes.
A luncheon will be held at the church fellowship hall following the memorial services.
A private family inurnment will be held at the Bethel Lutheran Cemetery south of Dorset.
Arrangements are being handled by the Cease Family Funeral Home of Park Rapids.
Editors note: This is a paid obituary.
