OBITUARY: True Grimes

Tawana R. Grimes, better known as "true grimes," journalist for The New York Times and author of the John Newberry Medal award-winning children's book series, “The Big Family on a Little Ranch in Texas,” died in an accident Wednesday. According to her driver's license, Grimes was 49 and lived in Eden Prairie, Minn., and Manhattan, N.Y.
Grimes was jogging with her dog near home when a Minnesota Ice (block & chipped) truck hit her, Eden Prairie Police Chief Rob Reynolds said. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Her 3-year-old Westie, Fanny Yancy, was airlifted and remains in critical condition at Hound Dog Hospital & Hotel in Eden Prairie.
Charges are pending against the truck's driver who admitted text messaging on his Apple iPhone 3GS at the time of the accident. Text messaging while driving is prohibited in Minnesota by a state law that went into effect August 2008.
Grimes' success came later in life. After three children completed their post secondary studies, she went back to school after attending a state college in Texas 21 years before. Although she was called a non-traditional student, Grimes preferred to describe herself as a "late bloomer."
Upon her return to college in 2007, Grimes pursued medical technology. However, because of inspiration from professor James Frankenfeld and his Interpersonal Communication class, her academic life course took a turn toward communication studies at Normandale Community College in Bloomington, Minn.
Grimes also became involved with The Lions’ Roar, Normandale’s college student newspaper, and The Ink Spot, Anoka-Ramsey Community College’s student newspaper in Cambridge, Minn. It was in the newspaper business that she found her niche.
After graduating from the University of Wisconsin, River Falls, in December 2011, Grimes accepted an internship at “The New York Times” magazine. Thus, she began her career as a health journalist. Because of her sense of humor and easy going, down home writing style, Grimes soon became a twice weekly columnist. Colleagues called her a younger Erma Bombeck, an American humorist and syndicated newspaper columnist who died in 1996.
Grimes was preceded in death by first husband and the father of their four children, Bill Grimes, who succumbed to metabolic syndrome.
Grimes is survived by husband, George Clooney, who she met on the job during an interview on the set of Ocean's 14 at Treasure Island Resort & Casino in Red Wing, Minn. Survivors also include two daughters, Holland Grimes of Esteli, Nicaragua, and Summer Grimes of Toronto, Canada; two sons, Benjamin Grimes of Berlin, Germany, and Justin Grimes and wife Kassie and their baby (Grimes' first grandchild due in September, of Joao Pessoa, Paraiba, Brazil; close family pet, Edie Grimes; and extended family down South.
The family will receive visitors from 2-4 p.m. Saturday at the Washburn-McGreevy Funeral Home, 7625 Mitchell Road, in Eden Prairie. The funeral service is 4 p.m. with Mark Warren officiating.
Afterward, the celebration event begins at 6 p.m. at Lake Calhoun Beach Club, 2900 Thomas Avenue S., Minneapolis, Minn. The sit-down dinner is followed by special guest, Jeff Foxworthy, who will perform his one-man play, "How to Tell if you’re a Redneck." At 8 p.m., the Grimes' family band will provide the live entertainment for the dance.
Instead of sending flowers, the family asks that friends donate to the “True Grimes' Late Bloomers" Scholarship Fund. Donations may be made to the NCC Foundation Office, either online at http://www.normandale.edu/alumniFoundation/giving.cfm or by mail to 9700 France Avenue S., Bloomington, Minn. For questions, call the Foundation Office at (952) 487-8147 or e-mail foundation@normandale.edu.