On 12-4-2024 Art Grimes passed from this life into heaven. His devotion to golf, his wife, and his firm belief in God supported him during his life.
He had a lifelong passion for golf that started at age 16 with caddie camp at Mt. Washington Hotel, Breton Woods, New Hampshire, where he had the opportunity
to caddie for Fay Crocker, who placed second in an early Women’s LPGA Golf Tournament.
He began his career in the US Army serving in Korea as a logistics specialist. After his service he opened his own freight forwarding business in San Francisco before joining Bechtel Engineering and Contractors as a traffic supervisor.
He worked for Bechtel for 20 years traveling to 18 locations around the world including New Zealand, which was his favorite, Korea, Japan, Bali, Fiji, Australia, Rio, Canada, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and others, building airports and chemical plants.
One of the highlights of his travels was meeting Mother Teresa on an airplane on the way to New Zealand. What a thrill that was.
He was a parishioner at St. George’s Catholic Church where he loved going to daily Mass and attending the “That Man is You” men’s group. Several fellows in the program, Joe Goodson, Steve Miller, and Jeff McGee, were so helpful,
transporting him to the meetings.
He was a devoted supporter of The St. Vincent de Paul Shelter for many years and in 2016 received the Bishop Ott Shelter Program “Be a Light” award. For years, Art collected items for the Shelter and gave so much of his time and service especially to flood victims.
He met his wife Dianne in 1986 on a golf course in Tennessee where they were both building a plant for Tennessee Eastman. He hit a fabulous 90-degree putt and she was smitten immediately, thinking “marriage material.” He loved Broadway show tunes and while in New Zealand he sang as a tenor in a
production of “Annie.” He often sang “Just in Time (I found you just in time)” to his wife.
After retirement, he loved playing with the LSU senior golfers. Grif Campbell and Fred Skelton were so helpful, taking him to golf outings.
He is survived by his wife Dianne, and his niece and nephew, Rosalind and Steve Gazes.
He left behind many used, old golf clubs for his wife who has no idea what to do with them.
Services will be held at St. George’s Catholic Church on Friday, December 20, 2024 at 11:00am. Visitation will begin at 9:30am.
One comment
Steve Miller
December 16, 2024 at 1:55 am
Art was a devout Catholic. I had the privilege of meeting with Art most Friday mornings at the “That Man Is You” prayer group. Art told me once that I was in his prayer book, and that made me happy. Art is the only person I know who has met Mother Teresa. I will miss my buddy Art.