Ruth “Mama” Grimes, of Tullahoma, passed this life on Wednesday, April 30th, 2014 at NHC Tullahoma at the age of 84.
Mama Grimes was born in Winchester, Tennessee to the late Robert Lee and Lillian McNatt Abbott.
She was a former employee of South Central Bell as an operator and assignment clerk where she retired after working for 35 years. She was a 30 year member of the Ladies Auxiliary, a 45 year member of the Telephone Pioneers and was also a member of the former Lincoln Heights Baptist Church in Tullahoma. Mama Grimes never met a stranger and was always willing to help anyone who was ever in need, and you never walked into her home without being offered something to eat and drink.
In addition to her parents, Mama Grimes is preceded in death by her husband, Howard P. Grimes; companion, Hulon Metcalfe; brother, Bob Abbott; and daughter-in-law, Dona Grimes.
She is survived by three sons, Robert “Bubba” Grimes and his wife Mary of Estill Springs, Wayne Grimes of Murfreesboro, and Layne Grimes and his wife Debbie of Shelbyville; one sister, Mabel Tucker of Fayetteville; four grandchildren, Scott Grimes and his wife Sherry, Chad Grimes and his wife Stephanie, Emily Grimes and Annie Abbott Grimes; and eight great-grandchildren, Hannah, Lindsay, McKenzie, Austin, Andrew, Knox, Anders and Houston.
Visitation for Mama Grimes will be held on Saturday, May 3rd, 2014 from 5:00-8:00 pm at Kilgore Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be held on Sunday, May 4th, 2014 at 2:00 pm in the Kilgore Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. William Young officiating.
Burial will follow at Rose Hill Memorial Gardens.
For those who wish, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice Compassus at 110 East Lauderdale Street, Tullahoma, TN 37388-4508 or to the American Cancer Society at P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718.
Kilgore Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.