Robert “Bob” Lee Grimes passed away July 23, 2021. He was 100 years old. He would have been 101 on July 28.
Bob was born in Noble, Ill., to Ora Grimes and Laura Palmer. He had 5 siblings. Margaret, George, Nellie, Sally, Agnes.
He moved out to Bend in 1935 and then in 1936 he moved to Cottage Grove and graduated Cottage Grove High School with the class of 1938.
He worked for Weyerhaeuser loading cars and worked in the sawmill until he retired in 1972.
Bob served in the Army Air Corp as a surgical technician at Lowery Field in Colorado during World War II
He bought a large ranch in Cottage Grove where he, his brother and sister-in-law raised cattle.
He helped raise many nieces and nephews and great-nieces and nephews.
The Travers, The Conn’s, The Williams, The Cheevers, The Neet’s. His ranch legacy lives on through his great-niece Diane and her family.
On December 15, 1980 he married Ilene Trunnell Yates (his first and her second) at age 60. His family expanded with 3 stepsons Bob, Tom, and John and many grandchildren. Bob and Ilene raised Angela Yates (Daughter of John and Debbie Yates) from the age of 2.
Ilene passed away in 2003 and his granddaughter Angela moved back home. In 2006 he welcomed his great-grandson, Hugh Solmon. He loved teaching Hugh on the Trunnell farm about tractors and farming.
In 2015 he went to Washington D.C. with the South Valley Honor Flight.
Some of his favorite things were cattle, farming, haying, fishing, and spending time at the coast.
He enjoyed going to the local doughnut shop and meeting with all his friends to talk about the “good old days”. He liked going to all the dinners and breakfasts that each of the local clubs put on. His favorite places to go were the Vintage Inn and Dairy Queen.
And he looked forward to going to the Old Schoolmates dinners every year.
Bob was a kind and gentle person. He touched the lives of so many people over his lifetime making deep and true friendships. He had a heart of gold and he shared that love with everyone he met. He was always there if anyone needed help and he always had a kind word for anyone who needed it. He was very special to so many people in and around Cottage Grove. He will be missed in so many ways and by so many people.
He is survived by his granddaughter Angela and great- grandson Hugh. And many nieces and nephews. A funeral will be held Aug. 2, 2021 at 2 p.m. at Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel, Cottage Grove. A private family interment will follow at Fir Grove Cemetery.
