Thelma (Hall) Grimm

Thelma Grimm, 100, of Edgewood, Iowa, passed away on Thursday, November 9, 2017, at the Edgewood Convalescent Home in Edgewood. She was born on April 22, 1917, in Lamont, the daughter of Albert and Anna (Sherman) Hall. Thelma completed the 8th grade in the Lamont School System. She began work at age thirteen as a nanny and housekeeper for several families in Edgewood.

At the age of eighteen, Thelma was united in marriage to Ernie Maulson. The couple moved to El Paso, Texas, to run a restaurant her brothers owned on an Army base. Ernie was an excellent tailor and sewed for themselves and soldiers on the base. Years later, Thelma and Ernie moved to Long Beach, California, where they bought an apartment house. Thelma ran the apartment while Ernie worked as a tailor. They were married 25 years when Ernie passed away from a heart attack in 1961.

Thelma remained in Long Beach after Ernie’s death. A few years later, she married Harold Grimm, whom she had known since her early years. They were married for more than 31 years before Harold passed away. Thelma returned to Iowa, where she has lived for the past 20 years.

Thelma’s favorite pastime was dancing. She also loved having dinner parties and was an excellent cook. She cherished the time spent with family and friends, believing that “to have a friend, you must be a friend.” Thelma lived a long, full life, and advised others to “be happy, be thankful each day, love others, and most of all don’t worry about things.”

Although never having children of her own, special family includes her niece, Anna (Kerry) Rizer of Strawberry Point; two nephews, Lawrence Lee of Dubuque and Arthur Willman of Florida; and great-nieces, great-nephews and cousins.

Thelma was preceded in death by her two husbands; her parents; four sisters, Voretta Lee, Golda Hall, Esther Roppe, and Julia Willman; and her half-sister, Viola Hoffman; two brothers, Burdette Hall and Robert (Toby) Hall; and a half-brother, Gerald “Bunny” Hall.

Memorials may be directed to Trinity United Methodist Church in Edgewood.

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