Thomas Grimes

Serving the community brought incredible fulfillment to Tom’s life. He was entirely devoted to serving others, strangers and friends alike, and it was the love he shared with his family that inspired him to do this everyday. The year 1950 not only marked the midpoint of the century, it marked an important transition in world history. As the United States and its allies celebrated their success in World War II, another threat loomed on the horizon. The Korean War highlighted tensions that were still very much a part of the world, and it wasn’t long before words like “communism” and “nuclear war” were on every American’s mind.

Wilbur Grimes and his wife, Charlotte (Sherron), were well aware of the world climate around them, yet they tried to focus on the more joyful task before them: raising a family. Wilbur and Charlotte lived in the Brightwood area of Indianapolis with their son, Steven, and with Steven’s new brother or sister on the way, both parents went to work. Though he had, in earlier years, given his own gasoline service station a try, Wilbur found that working for Allison Transmission suited him better. Charlotte, meanwhile, added to the family’s income by working for RCA Records. It was her job to actually make the records themselves.

On December 10, 1950, the Grimes family welcomed the baby they had long awaited. They named him Thomas F. Grimes, and it wasn’t long before little Tom and his older brother Steven had become best friends. Though the Grimes family grew to include two more children, Kim and Michael, it was Tom and Steven who were always inseparable. Tom was close to his mother as well, and one of his fondest memories of her was when they delivered newspapers together. After a long morning of deliveries, they would go out for burgers and a shake. Tom looked forward to the post-delivery lunches with his mom, loving the fact that he could have her attention all to himself, even if it was only for a couple of hours.

By the time he reached high school, Tom spent most of his time playing football. He graduated from Arsenal Tech in 1969 and decided that his next move would be to join the Army. He spent six years as a ranger in Vietnam, returning home to serve in the Indiana National Guard. Soon Tom was ready for a change in career, though he knew he still wanted to do something that allowed him to serve his community. When the opportunity arose, Tom left the National Guard and began working for the Washington Township Fire Department. It didn’t take him long to discover that this was the job he was meant for.

Tom fell in love with firefighting and the ability it gave him to help others. Using his skills and the resources available to him, Tom helped found and lead the Hazardous Materials (Haz-Mat) Team for Washington Township. Everyone who worked with Tom could tell that his he was very passionate about his work. They were proud to work beside such a brilliant, motivated leader, a man who would eventually become Lieutenant of the entire department.

On his days off-duty, Tom worked a second job in construction. Not one to be shy, Tom made friends with many of his coworkers, including his boss. It was he and his wife who set Tom up on a blind date with Kathryn. Kathryn, better known as KP, liked Tom right from the start - and the feeling was mutual. The couple fell deeply in love and celebrated their relationship with their friends and family in a beautiful March 2000 wedding.

By 2001, Tom decided it was time to retire from the fire department. He had given Washington Township 28 years of devoted service, and he had loved every minute of it. But now it was time to spend more time enjoying the simple things, like eating at Frank and Mary’s Restaurant in Pittsboro, Indiana. Tom loved their catfish, though he refused to have anything to do with the “leftovers” (if there were any). To Tom, leftovers of any kind were nothing short of “used food.”

Another simple thing he enjoyed was an afternoon in his hosta garden. In fact, this was one of his favorite places on Earth. Tom often invited his mother over to see the garden, and they would usually end up working the yard together. Just as he had enjoyed delivering papers with his mother years earlier, Tom delighted in each and every opportunity to spend time with his mom. The fact that she shared his enthusiasm for the garden, the place he loved most, meant the world to Tom.

Family was very important to Tom’s life, and his role as a father was the most important he would ever assume. He was entirely devoted to his children, William and Kathleen, and loved sharing with them the things he loved. They knew all about his collection of antiques, which consisted primarily of fire-related memorabilia. And they knew how much he loved animals, including his dog Max and his four cats. But most of all William and Kathleen knew that their dad loved spending time with them, and he loved it no matter what they were doing. Whether he was teaching William to shoot a Beebe gun or enjoying a funny movie with Kathleen, Tom thoroughly enjoyed seeing his children excited about life.

Tom had an incredibly positive and unforgettable impact on the lives of all who knew him. His strength, kindness, and enthusiasm for making the most of each day will always be remembered.

Thomas F. Grimes age 54 of Sheridan, Indiana, died March 25, 2005 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 29 at the Leppert Life Story Funeral Home, Nora Chapel. Friends and family will gather on Monday, March 28 from 2:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the funeral home. Tom is survived by his wife, Kathryn P. “KP” (Petrovich) Grimes, son William Grimes, daughter Kathleen Grimes, mother, Charlotte (Sherron) Grimes, sister Kimila (Michael) Dineen, brothers Steven (Joyce) Grimes, Michael (Tammy) Grimes, mother-in-law Mayri Petrovich, brother-in-law Patrick (Jane) Petrovich, sister-in-law Jeannine (Brian) Svetanoff . You are invited to visit www.lifestorynet.com, where share a memory, sign the guest book, or make memorial contributions to the Hoosier Burn Camp, 338 Historic West 8th St. Anderson, IN 46016-1310; the Alzheimer’s Association; or St. Vincent Hospice.