Ken Cole Grimes

Kenneth Cole Grimes, born May 27, 1944 in Payette, ID to Kenneth Edward and Charlotte [Thornburg] Grimes, passed away on December 6, 2013 in Mesa, AZ at the age of 69. Ken was a real outdoorsman and entrepreneur. He enjoyed hunting, and fishing; he also enjoyed traveling, motorcycles and old cars; his favorite car being a 1941 Plymouth sedan. In his lifetime, Ken worked many jobs, but never worked for another person after he was 25 years old. Most notably he will be remembered as a pilot, builder, developer, commercial fisherman, stock trader and shrewd judge of character. Ken met the love of his life, Emilie Cole in 1962 in Los Angelas, CA and married her on May 16th, 1964. Having spent three years in Alaska in the 1950's as a boy, Ken told Emilie "if we have kids, I am not raising them in L.A., I want to raise them in Alaska" and a month after their first son was born, he moved there in February 1967 by driving the Alcan highway in an old Hillman Minx convertible. His 35 years in Alaska were filled with many adventures with family and friends. In 1976 Ken decided that the true Alaskan experience was still calling, and moved his family to a chunk of land on the west side of Cook Inlet near the banks of Silver Salmon Creek. Ken and his wife Emilie raised two sons through their formative years there, along with building and running a successful hunting/fishing lodge. Ken loved Alaska for what it represented; a rugged frontier where a man could create something from nothing, where hard work and perseverance were necessary traits. He flew thousands of hours as a bush pilot, and the trio of Schadle, Frohlich and Grimes rode their steeds of fabric and steel into places and situations that were the stuff of local lore, memorialized by the great trubadour Phil Ames in an epic poem. Ken and Emilie moved to Texas full time in 2001, and they shared 14 happy years on the shores of Lake LBJ. During those years, they traveled extensively, visiting and exploring the rest of the United States, Central America, Australia, New Zealand and much of the Carribean. After living in Texas for 15 years Ken and his wife Emilie retired to Arizona in August 2013. Ken is survived by his beloved wife of 49 ½ years Emilie Grimes; sons Ken (Karen) Grimes Jr., and Dan (Claudia) Grimes; his sister Donita (Jake) Whitecotton; grandchildren Kevin, Keith, Kyle, Kaden, Cole and Emilie and nieces and nephews Charlene, Catelyn, Josh, Christopher and Colton. Ken will be laid to rest at Mariposa Gardens Memorial Park in Mesa, AZ. Arrangements entrusted to Mariposa Gardens (480) 830-4422