William Burk Grimes

WILLIAM BURK GRIMES Funeral services for longtime area resident, William Burk Grimes will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, March 6 at the Ertel Memorial Chapel. Interment will follow at the Cortez Cemetery. Elder Dean A. Kirk will be officiating. A visitation has been scheduled Monday morning from 8:30 a.m. until 10 a.m. Bill was born on March 20, 1917 in Laverne, Okla. the son of Steven G. and Ida B. (Hall) Grimes. He passed away on Saturday, February 25, 2006 at Arbor Springs Nursing Home in Albuquerque, N.M. at the age of 88. Bill was one of ten children raised in Laverne, Oklahoma. He moved to Colorado in 1937 to work for the YCC camp on Mesa Verde National Park. He met Fern Cash and they were married April 15, 1939. They lived in many places in Colorado and Utah as Bill worked for Coal and Uranium Mines. He later went to work for the Bureau of Reclamation as a Blasting Inspector. Bill and Fern adopted two girls, Laura and Corky. The family moved a lot, Bill was transferred to different job sites. After twenty years he retired in Cortez in 1982 after starting McPhee Reservoir. Bill loved children and children were always attracted to him. He would joke with them and didn’t know a stranger, he talked to everyone. Bill and his family lived on a ranch in Mancos; this was Bill’s pride and joy. He loved it there. It was where Bill would ride a tractor and snowmobile, irrigate, talk with all the neighbors who were all friends. His favorite thing was to sit out front in his chair and look over the fields and tell his favorite stories. Bill and Fern helped raise two of their grandchildren, Kacey and Jennifer. Their daughter, Corky had to work numerous hours and they were the babysitters. Jennifer was her granddad’s pride and Joy. He became a father figure to her. He taught her everything he thought she should know, including some things she probably should not have known. (Like how to smoke a pipe!) He nicknamed her “Guy”. He took the grandkids everywhere with him, spoiling them rotten. Then in 1997, Kyle was born, Fern was ill and in Albuquerque at the time. She was unable to be there. Bill made sure he was right there. He was a nervous wreck not quite sure what to do without Fern there. He knew he had to be around to see the newest bundle of joy born; Kyle was the first grandson Bill got to spoil. He did a good job of it too. In 2001 Fern was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and went into Vista Mesa Assisted Living. For two years Bill drove back and forth sometimes twice a day to check on her. He made sure everyone there knew they had to answer to him and that she had the best of everything. He loved her so much she was everything to him. His every thought was of her. In 2003 Bill’s health stated to decline, he quit taking care of himself and would not let anyone take core of him. He suffered a stroke and had no choice but to go be with Fern at Vista Mesa. The staff at Vista Mesa loved to be around Bill. As he recovered from his stroke he joked with them and liked to give them a hard time. He also loved being close to Fern again. He never quit asking, “When do I get out of this place?” Bill later was diagnosed with emphysema and congestive heart failure. In 2004 his daughter Corky re-married and moved to Albuquerque, N.M. It wasn’t long until Bill and Fern needed full skilled nursing and in July 2005 moved to Albuquerque to be closer to Corky and her family. At first this was a big adjustment for Bill. After he adjusted he went into rehab and became stronger everyday. He loved joking with the girls and nurses in rehab. As his strength increased his interest in life also increased. He played Bingo and cards with Fern. He looked very happy. He also loved spending time with his daughter and her family. He bonded with his son-in-law, Chuck and spent a lot of time telling him stories and always asked about him when he wasn’t around. Bill got to spend a lot of time with Corky and would always light up when she walked in the room. Bill unfortunately suffered several bouts of pneumonia. Each time he got weaker and weaker. Bill spent a week in the hospital with his last case and the doctor’s did everything they could. His body was fragile and battled everything they tried to do. He sent back to be with Fern on February 24. He passed away on the 25th. He never lost his honery personality, fighting the nurses right up to the end. He didn’t like being told what he had to do. He wanted to tell them what to do. It was this fight that kept him going as long as he did. He passed away with Fern by his side. His daughter, Corky was also there. Bill looked like he was finally at peace not struggling for air anymore. He went very quickly. He will be greatly missed by all that knew him and loved him.