Chestley W. Grimsley rejoined his wife Marie Gibbs Grimsley on Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 2021. Chet was the oldest of four children, born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on November 7, 1937, to Lottie Smithman Grimsley and Willard F. Grimsley. The Grimsleys were of modest means, living in a tiny apartment, where Chet often slept on a cot in the hallway landing outside the apartment. From a very early age, Chet knew he would need to rely on himself to make it in the world. Starting at age 5, he found any way he could to make money—shining shoes, delivering newspapers, carrying groceries, working as a surveyor’s assistant, selling women’s shoes in a department store, joining the Air Force Reserves right out of high school. Others might be more talented or have more advantages, but no one would ever work harder than he did. When he was a teenager, his little brother Warren drowned in the local public swimming pool. Warren’s death was one of the most profound events in Chet’s life. But his deep sadness over the loss of his brother did not deter Chet from making a better life for himself and his family.
At age 25, despite his father questioning why he would leave a perfectly good job selling shoes, Chet decided to apply for college. It was the second-best decision of his life. Seated in alphabetical order in freshman year French next to Marie Gibbs, who reluctantly agreed to tutor him, Chet quickly fell in love. Chet and Marie got married in September 1963. After college graduation, they moved to Raleigh, where Marie taught middle school and Chet took a job in sales with Corning Glassworks. After two years in Raleigh, Chet was transferred to Northern California, and they lived near San Francisco. It was one of the best times of their lives together. But not long after they got pregnant, Chet’s job with the Glassworks meant a move back East, to Elmira, New York, where their son Sean was born in 1972. Their daughter Tracey was born almost three years later, in 1975. A new job with Milwaukee-based Allen Bradley Corporation meant another move—this time to Wisconsin. While working at Allen Bradley during the week, he completed his MBA at the University of Chicago on the weekends. Over the next 25 years, through corporate moves from Wisconsin to Texas and back to Wisconsin, Chet and Marie were absolutely dedicated to their children. Marie was a Cub Scout den mother; Chet coached soccer. And Chet made sure that, from an early age, both his children learned to swim. Christmas was their favorite holiday, overloading the kids with presents. After raising their children, in the early 2000s, Chet and Marie retired to their dream home, a beautiful house on Lake Balboa in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas. Marie became an entrepreneur, starting her own business doing tax preparation, while Chet took some much-deserved time off, learning to ride a Harley Road King Classic and tutoring local school kids. More than anything, Chet and Marie wanted grandchildren. And they got them. Tracey and Sean each have three children; in the order of their births are Felix Grimsley Ridenour (2003), Eli Grimsley (2005), Poppy Grimsley Ridenour (2006), Willa Grimsley (2007), Thistle Grimsley Ridenour (2013), and Mabel Grimsley (2013). Chet and Marie could not have been prouder of their children and grandchildren.
The good times, it seems, could not last. In 2013, shortly after the births of their two youngest granddaughters, Marie was diagnosed with an aggressive form of lung cancer. The love of Chet’s life, Marie died in early January 2014. It was another devastating loss. But Chet had no doubt that Jesus Christ was his savior and that he would see Marie (and Warren and his parents) again some day. Sadly for those who know and love him, that day has come. We will miss him terribly but are comforted that he and Marie are together. Chet is survived by his sisters Janet Grimsley and Diane Solomon, his sister-in-law Fran Gibbs, his children Sean and Tracey, and his grandchildren Felix, Eli, Poppy, Willa, Thistle and Mabel. His was truly a full life. When the weather gets better, the family will have a small private service on Chet and Marie’s favorite beach in North Carolina. No flowers please, though stories are welcome and can be shared with the family at www.wcfishnorth.com. If you would like to do something, please give in Chet’s memory to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, www.stjude.org.
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