John James Grimmer

John James Grimmer, 76, passed away peacefully at his home on Tuesday, July 31, 2012. John was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on April 23, 1936, son of the late Raymond and Bernadine (nee: Beaupre) Grimmer.

John grew up in Milwaukee and graduated from Marquette University  High School in 1954. He received a BSCE in 1959, and an MBA in 1961 from Marquette University. During college he was in the US Naval Reserve until 1962. Early in his career he was employed with Ford Motor Co. Comptroller’s office in Dearborn, MI. It was during this time that he met and married Dolores “Dee” Krause on July 8, 1967. He brought his family to Racine in 1974 to join J.I. Case Co. in Long-Range Product Planning. In 1978 he became an Investment Real Estate Broker. From 1992 until his retirement in 2004, he worked for Westfalia in Hilchenbach, Germany, and NordAlu Wernal in Neumunster, Germany, as North American Sales Manager.

John cherished his family and friends. No grandchild got past him without hugs and tickles and he lavished this same affection on his children throughout their lives. John participated in sports all his life and loved tennis, golf and boating and spent time traveling in his retirement. He was a long-standing member of Meadowbrook Country Club. He also had great fun coaching soccer for RASA youth teams.

John is survived by his loving wife, Dee; two daughters, Christina (Alex) Holderness, Carolyn (Steven) Chybowski; a son, Matthew (Emily) Grimmer; two grandchildren, Regan and Katherine Grimmer; brothers and sisters, Patricia (Marvin) Knuth of Mequon, Dorothy (Edward) Capper of Whitefish Bay, Raymond (Georgia) Grimmer of Brown Deer, Lawrence Grimmer of Midway AR, Terrence Grimmer of Milwaukee, Timothy (Karen) Grimmer of Mequon, Gerald (Marjorie) Grimmer of Scotch Plains NJ, Dennis (Jean) Grimmer of Victoria, BC, Canada and Michael Grimmer; and many nieces and nephews. Brothers and sisters-in-law are Joan and Robert Louwers and Gerald and Hope Krause. Preceding him in death are his sisters, Joan Baker and Frances Kohn; and brothers-in-law, Lawrence Baker and Al Kohn.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, August 3, 2012, at 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 2201 Northwestern Ave., Racine. Visitation will be at church Friday beginning at 9 a.m. until the time of Mass at 11 a.m. Internment will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Detroit, MI.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The ALS Association, 3333 North Mayfair Rd. Suite 213, Wauwatosa, WI 53222 and St. Catherine High School, Racine, WI.

Our family is very thankful to Heartland Hospice and Synergy Homecare for making John’s last days at home so peaceful.

MARESH-MEREDITH & ACKLAM FUNERAL HOME
803 Main St., Racine (262) 634-7888