Larry Grimes (1958)

I would like to add a few lines regarding the service Abe Grimes, my father, provided to his fellow man.  He was drafted in late 1944 or early 1945 into the US Army, as part of the big buildup contemplating the invasion of Japan in 1945.  Thank God Harry Truman had the "guts" to end the war with the "Bomb" or our family story would have been unimaginably different.  He was a radio operator and achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant.  During part of his service time his wife spent some weeks with him at Fort Benning, Georgia, and the two children then in the family, Larry and Mary Kay shuttled between grandparents in Montpelier and Pocatello where Abe and Gean's parents lived.  The Pocatello stints were adventuresome for me as my Grandfather Jim Bruce, a forest ranger, lived on the northwest side of Pocatello at a fairly significant ranger station and depot.  That meant horses, a barn, engineering equipment and lots of places to play and hide.  Kay probably got her initial love of horses at this station.  My cousin Dee Ann Clark and I loved that place.  I acted out Erol Flynn action movies, as best I could, and she played Scarlett O'Hara and Gone With the Wind ad naseum, at least as I recall.  In her minds eye she would describe the various dresses Scarlett wore in that movie.  Maybe it was to put me to sleep for my nap.  That was a long time ago.  

Across the tracks was a large naval gun repair station where big guns from ships were brought in on railroad cars for repair of their  worn gun barrels. I recall seeing these massive guns and also imagined the stories of where they had been in the war battles.  As children deprived by rationing of, among other things, sugar, candy, etc., you can imagine the thrill of receiving the odd package of hershey bars and chewing gum that my dad would send home from time to time.  I remember playing war games with friends in the second ward wearing soldier type "stuff".  Ironically, none of us ever became war mongers due to these experiences, but we did become patriots!  

After WWII Dad, and my Grandpa Grimes who had served in France during the "Big War", barbered together at the Burgoyne Hotel Barber Shop, and other places.  Both men and my mother and grandmother were active in the American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary.  I sold poppies on Decoration Day (or so we called what is today Memorial Day, I believe).  Both men participated in early dawn firing squads on that day saluting the fallen veterans in the Montpelier cemetery.  All of us helped place flags on those honored graves.  Dad never joined the VFW, as I recall, as that seemed to be the Korean and later Viet Nam Vets.  But his public service continued in the Lions Club where he held every one of the offices at one time or another.  His service in the Montpelier Lions Club Trio, with dear friends Max Haddock and Phil Hulme, was legendary and was recorded in a memoire written by Phil and noted elsewhere.  Thank God for that act of service for our families.  I used to tell my college and later friends that in Montpelier if the Lions Club didn't do it, it didn't get done.  We all need to look around at the city and the evidence is all over the place.  Others, of course did their share.  

Dad's church service was primarily singing, with Max and/or Phil, at funerals. No one thinks much about something like that but that service meant a great deal to the families suffering  bereavement.  Max was the altime champion at this labor of love.  Phil, Dad and Jimmy Olsen would often form a quartet with Max.  Their talent and music was fantastic.  Some people thought my Dad wasn't an avid church goer, especially in the early and middle years.  They must have over looked the 2-3 funerals most weeks that he attended.  Small wonder that when his time came the 5th ward building was full. Max and Phil probably attended more such services as their roots were from the west side of the valley, and the requests also came from there.  Dad was also active in the scouts, helping shepherd Lance Taylor, Ron Jensen and I through all the way to Eagle rank during our Explorer years.  I don't know about Lance and Ron, but I will always be thankful that we got that boost to finish the job.  My former law partner, General Russell Dougherty, a legendary Air Force Non-Hero Hero, always quoted his friend General Jimmy Doolittle as saying that if he had to choose any 5 men to help him defend his life in war time, he would pick Eagle Scouts.  I give my Dad great credit for "being there" and providing this little known service for me during those years. I should go on, but won't.  That must be done but in some other place.  I am proud of my father.  

Larry