William Franklin Grubb

William Franklin Grubb, Colonel, retired, United States Air Force died Wednesday, August 25, 2004 in San Antonio, Texas. Born in Riceville, Tennessee, in 1910, he was the son of the late William H. and Margaret Montgomery Grubb.

Following graduation from McMinn County High School he enrolled in Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tennessee. While there he played football and was for one year awarded 'Most Valuable Player' both at Carson-Newman and in the Smoky Mountain Conference. He was inducted into the College's Athletic Hall of Fame, and in 1966 was also honored as a Distinguished Alumnus.

After graduation he was employed as Director of the Baptist Student Union on the University of Tennessee campus until he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps, where he was trained as a bomber pilot. Until bad weather delayed his arrival at the starting base, Frank had been selected to be a part of the famous Doolittle Raid over Japan. He always regretted missing this. Subsequent to the end of the war, he and his wife, Elizabeth Frizzell Grubb, of San Antonio, Texas, were stationed in several sites in Europe and in Japan, plus several bases in the U.S.

Following his retirement from the U.S. Air Force, they returned to Fort Walton Beach, Florida, where they were stationed on two previous occasions. Frank was employed by the First City Bank, Fort Walton Beach, as a Senior Vice President for Public Relations.

After 19 years Frank again retired, and he and his wife returned to San Antonio, Texas, where they lived until their deaths. Colonel Grubb and his wife were active and life-long members of Southern Baptist Churches. They joined a church in all of their different locations holding various positions.

Col. Grubb was preceded in death by his wife; parents; two sisters, Mary Elizabeth Grubb of Riceville, and Charlotte Grubb Robbins, of Chattanooga, Tennessee; two brothers, P. J. Grubb of Riceville, and James Wiley Grubb of Chattanooga. He is survived by one sister, Margaret Grubb Fleming of Florence, Alabama; two nieces, Virginia C. Robbins, Chattanooga, TN and Julia Ann Fleming, Birmingham, Alabama; two nephews, Glenn H. Fleming, Knoxville, TN, and Robert G. Fleming of Abbeville, South Carolina.