Judith (Judy) Annette Hestand Grimes, age 77, passed away on January 4th 2022 at Chandler Regional Hospital in Chandler, Arizona. Just over two months after moving away from the cold winters of her home in Carthage, MO.
Born to Carl D Hestand and Nellie M Smith Hestand in Clinton, MO on May 24th 1944. Judith was the second of 9 children and was thought of as the trailblazer of the siblings. It was she they came to for help with harder life choices and she always gave them sage advice as they followed her into adulthood.
She graduated from NKC High School in 1962. After graduation she attended William Jewell College. Judy married shortly after that but was a single mother most of her 3 children’s lives. Working hard to provide for her kids, she worked many places in her lifetime including Reliable Ins and Rogers Office Products. Alas, she retired from the Jasper County Assessor’s office after 30 years of service. She was a feminist and was a proud member of BPW of Carthage MO. Being well read and well experienced, Judy always had good sayings and great wisdom to share with her grandchildren and anyone else around.
Along with reading she had hobbies like gardening, card playing, thrift store shopping, refinishing furniture, restoring older homes, playing computer games and spending time with her dogs, family and friends. She also loved the holidays. As a matriarch, singing Christmas carols with family and friends on Christmas Eve was her favorite tradition to pass on.
She is preceded in death by her parents, her older brother Floyd who passed in infancy, her sister Sharon, brothers Ellis and Don, her son Kevin, grandson Jon Carl and the love of her life, Leonard Blankenship. She leaves behind her younger siblings, Mary, Bettye, Dennis, and Carol, nieces and nephews. Her daughters, Lynette Grimes Lowery and Deidra Grimes West, 6 grandchildren, Jevin, Jason, Catriona, Nathan, David, Molly and 12 great-grandchildren, Pike, Jaxon, Savannah, Antonio, Easton, Johnathan, Elliyhanna, Ophelia, Riley, Greysynn, Everest and Octavia.
She will be remembered with love and laughter.
