Obituary of Jacqueline M. Grimes

Jacqueline Murray Grimes (July 30, 1930 - October 15, 2020) passed away after a brief illness. Born and raised in New York City, Jackie enjoyed spending summers with relatives in Bangor, Maine. At 15 she met and fell in love with Edgar Grimes and his family in Montauk, NY.  Jackie and Ed raised three children (Linda Grimes-Picarazzi, Timothy Grimes and Mark Grimes) on Mallory Rd in Spring Valley, NY and were fixtures in the neighborhood until 2016. She brought enthusiasm to Bell Telephone when she entered the workforce as a switchboard operator and during her post-kids employment at the AT&T warehouse in Suffern NY. She got a kick out of driving a forklift and laughing with co-workers. She loved being a grandmother to Nicholas, Jeffrey and Natalie Picarazzi of Selkirk.   After retiring in 1990, Jackie wanted to see the world. She drank a cappuccino at the Trevi Fountain in Rome with her best friend, Jean Ward. She got lost in Paris, cruised Alaska and visited Ireland.  She was a member of the Suffern Women’s Club along with her friend Alice Koch. They attended luncheons, enjoyed outings, raised money for college scholarships and put together the monthly newsletter. Changes in her vision and caretaking for her husband restricted her activities for several years but she remained avidly interested in and supportive of the lives of neighbors, friends and family.   Jackie’s next chapter began when she relocated to Bethlehem, NY. She was once again able to participate in social activities with the support of the Bethlehem Seniors. She was able to live independently with help from the Ravena Seniors Meals on Wheels program. She enjoyed audio books and supportive equipment from the Northeast Association for the Blind. She loved gallivanting and was always up for an outing of any type. She appreciated our area’s displays, tours and local concerts and made the most of any opportunity. She had a subscription to Proctors Theatre and a special spot at Cornell’s Restaurant for a post-matinee dinner. She traveled to Montauk, Newport, Kentucky and Maine always enjoying the scenery and the company. She made it to the Grand Canyon with her daughter Linda, and sisters in travel Bev and Aud Grimes. She was proud of her independent apartment and took great comfort in decorating and redecorating it to her unique and lively style. She loved the social activities available at Van Allen Senior Apartments and made many new friends. Jackie’s Home Health Aide, Lystra Landy became her lifeline during COVID time and kept her stylish, comforted and well-fed. Her keen interest in and concern for others made her a friend to many. Her enthusiasm, humor and love of good times made her the life of any party. Forever in our hearts, she reached the end of this part of her story with her body “thoroughly used up, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a ride!””  A celebration of Jackie’s life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Bethlehem Senior Services, 445 Delaware Ave., Delmar, NY 12054 or Senior Projects of Ravena, 9 Bruno Blvd., Ravena, NY 12143