Posted on 09/26/2018
Capt. William Francis Grimm, USN (Ret.) -- (May 18, 1927 - June 29, 2018)
Capt. William (Bill) Grimm passed away from natural causes in his home on June 29, 2018 at the age of 91 with his three children and caregiver Maria at his side.
Bill was born May 18, 1927 in Centralia, Washington to Washington Huskies Elizabeth and William H. Grimm, where he lived until the age of 14 when both parents contracted tuberculosis. His mother did not survive, and his father was moved to a TB Sanitarium near San Francisco. At that time Bill and his sister Mary moved to Piedmont, California under the care of Philip and Julia Hindley. He graduated from Piedmont High School in 1944 and then enlisted in the Navy serving through the end of World War II. In 1946 Bill was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy and graduated with the class of 1950.
Ensign Grimm’s first tour of duty was aboard the aircraft carrier USS Philippine Sea in Korean waters. In 1951, during flight training in Pensacola, Florida, he earned his Naval Aviator designation and wings. It was at this time his first letter from Edith (Ede) Huggins arrived. She claimed that after seeing his photo she was the president and founder of the “Bill Grimm Fan Club.” After months of correspondence Ede was invited to Christmas dinner in San Francisco, where Bill would be home on leave. It must have been love as Bill and Ede were married one week later on New Year’s Eve, 1951 and remained together until Ede’s passing in 2010.
Capt. Grimm’s Navy career spanned 32 years. He flew in Patrol Squadron VP-21 flying Martin Mercator P4M’s and Lockheed Neptune P2V’s. He attended Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California and from 1956-1959 taught at the Naval Academy. He served in aircraft squadrons VS-37 and VS-35 flying S2F carrier based ASW aircrafts with deployments on the USS Hornet. Bill earned a postgraduate degree in Science from San Diego State. From 1962-64 he was Flag Secretary, Anti-Submarine Warfare Group 3. He was Training Officer for VS-41; EO and CO of ASW Squadron VS-38 with two seven-month deployments to Vietnam. Bill was Commander, Carrier Anti-Sub Air Group 53, flying S2E Tracker, E1B Tracer and SH3A ASW Helicopters. From 1969-1972 he was assigned to the Bureau of Naval Personnel in Washington D.C. with his final duty station at NAS North Island serving as Personnel Officer CNAF, Pacific Fleet. He retired July 1977 with the rank of Captain, accruing 3900 career flight hours, and 490 carrier landings, 175 at night.
The Grimm family moved to Coronado in 1964 and would from that time on call it home. Bill’s hobbies included fishing and he was a member of the B.A.S.S. Masters Association. He also enjoyed gardening, and tinkering in his garage repairing anything electrical. After retiring from the Navy, Bill attended Maytag Repair School and opened Grimm T.V. & Appliance in Coronado with fellow USNA graduate Eugene Wisenbaker. After years of selling and fixing appliances, he retired to golf, and was a fixture at the Coronado Golf Course serving as secretary and publicity chair for the Men’s Club. In his later years Bill enjoyed his monthly USNA Class of ’50 luncheons and family gatherings.
Bill will be remembered as a loving father, and as “the nicest man,” who will forever be loved and missed by his family and friends. He is survived by his children William P. (Dave) Grimm, Martha (Christopher) Workman, Elizabeth (Steve) Patten; grandchildren Sean Michael, Jennifer, Abbey, Grace, Sean Lerin, and Joe; eight great- grandchildren; and his sister Mary Rudow and family,
Capt. Grimm will be interred at Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please consider supporting your local Hospice.
Coronado Eagle & Journal
14 September 2018