Francis Casler Grimes

In Memory OfFrancis C. Grimes Francis Casler Grimes, of Milford, died Sunday, December 12, 2004, at Sunrise Country Manor near Milford at the age of 85 years 5 months and 13 days. He was born June 29, 1919 to Francis "Frank" and Nina (Casler) Grimes at the farm home five miles northeast of Utica, Nebraska, the oldest of three children. As a young boy he walked to a nearby country school and later drove his 1928 Chevy into Utica where he graduated with the Class of 1938 from Utica High School. On December 3, 1941, he was united in marriage to Lela Wurst at the Methodist Church in Utica and to this union a son, Harold, and a daughter, Ellen, were born. In the summer of 1941, they rented a farm near Francis parents and farmed until he was called to active duty in 1942, beginning his deployment in August so that he might harvest his crops before he left. Francis served in the US Army, including tours of duty in the European Theatre until November of 1945 when he returned home. He and Lela then established their first home east of Milford and Francis enrolled as a carpentry student at the newly established trade school in Milford. With the demand for carpenters, Francis, along with many classmates, left school in the spring or 1947 to begin their careers. Francis built his first home at 721 Park Avenue and that house became their life-long home in January of 1950. Over the next 20 years, Francis built many residential homes, various farm buildings and barns, and completed many remodeling jobs for local businesses. In 1964, Francis began working for the University of Nebraska in Lincoln and was foreman of the maintenance crew. After seven years with the University, Francis transferred to the Lincoln Public Schools as their maintenance foreman. He retired in 1981 and enjoyed traveling, spending time with his children and grandchildren, working in his yard and garden, fishing, reading, and writing stories. After a career in carpentry for 34 years, Francis also continued to enjoy building cabinets. As a young child, Francis attended the Presbyterian Church but became a member of the Methodist Church in his early teens and has remained a faithful member of the United Methodist Church in Milford for many years. For many years Francis worked on the church historical information, recording church history in several books and cataloging many photos. He also has been a member of the Milford American Legion Post #171 and for many years he was also a member of the Grange #404. Francis is survived by his wife, Lela, Milford, son and daughter-in-law, Harold and Dorothy Grimes, Denver, CO, grandchildren, Michelle and John Sims, Denver, CO, Carrie and Jayson Brines, Del Rio, TX, Alicia Grimes, Denver, CO, Marcus and Tina Gebhard, Sioux Falls, SD, Jayson and Amy Gebhard, Parkiston, SD, great-grandchildren, Bryanna Brines, Mandy Sims, Timothy, David and Sarah Gebhard, Caleb & Levi Gebhard, nieces, nephews and a host of other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank & Nina Grimes, daughter, Ellen Gebhard, in August 2004 and sisters, Imogene Bjerrum and Laura Mae Lynn. Services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, December 14, 2004, at the Milford United Methodist Church, with Rev. James Miller officiating. Interment is in the Utica Cemetery with military services. Visitation is from 11-9:00 p.m. Monday at Lauber-Moore Funeral Home, Milford, and 1 hr prior to services at church. Memorials have been established to the Milford United Methodist Church, Tabitha Hospice or to the American Cancer Society . Lauber-Moore Funeral Home, Milford, is entrusted with the arrangements.