Born on November 12, 1941, Jim was the only child of Edwin and Mary Grubbs. He was kindly allowed to begin school at the tender age of three, due to the death of his mother, where he met lifelong friends Arturo and Freddy. He loved to run barefoot across the street to visit his grandmother Lillian White Grubbs and various aunts and uncles. After graduating from Austin High School in 1959, Jim served his country in the United States Navy as a 2nd Class Petty Officer. He traveled all over the world stationed on the USS Charles F. Adams, the Navy’s first guided missile destroyer. After being discharged from the Navy, Jim graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso in 1968.
Following in the footsteps of both his father and grandfather, Jim spent his career in the family plumbing business. As fate would have it, in 1974, Jim met the love of his life, Margret Redekop, while out on a plumbing call. Their first date was to see the movie, The Sting. They soon married, settled in a little house on Gold Street, and had two children, Edwin and Hettie.
A devoted husband, father and Opa, Jim enjoyed playing hide and seek and streetball with his kids. He had a tender heart for animals and rescued dogs and cats he found while out on plumbing calls. Jim’s adventurous spirit fueled family road trips where he was always game to try anything. His fantastic sense of humor and contagious laugh will be greatly missed.
Jim was greeted in heaven by his wife of 45 years, Margret Grubbs, his mother, Mary McKnight Grubbs and his father, Edwin White Grubbs. He will be deeply missed by many including his son Edwin Grubbs and wife Annalie of Houston and his daughter Hettie Grubbs of El Paso. Jim will also be remembered by many friends and family members including his grandsons Emmitt and Nolan Grubbs, his dog, Bonita, and grandpups and kitten, Oreo, Puppicelli, Marshal Dillon, Miss Kitty, Festus, Doc, Pearl, and Mila.
Services will be held on Saturday, October 26 at 1 p.m. at Funeraria del Angel Central, 3839 Montana Ave, El Paso, Texas, 79903. The reception will be 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the same location.
"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever." (Psalm 23:6)
