Alice V. Grimes Linder
Alice V. Grimes Linder, the third child of Fred N. and Maude P. Grimes, entered this life on December 26 (10 minutes after midnight), 1946, in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Alice attended the public schools of Chattanooga and graduated from Howard High School, where she sang in the school choir, in1964. After a year of college (Chattanooga City College), she decided she wanted to be a cosmetologist. Accordingly, she studied and worked as a trainee under the tutelage of Ann Sanderfur, a Tennessee Top Ten Beautician (Bab’s Shop for Beauty). She subsequently took the state boards, which she passed on the first try with a perfect score.
As a licensed beautician, Alice went to work in the shop of Ora Dodds, a longtime family friend. There, she honed her skills and became known as an excellent stylist. Eventually, she opened her own shop, Strand Designs, a lively place where clients joyfully and humorously offered solutions to all the problems of this world.
All the while, Alice enjoyed life outside her shop as well. For years, she played Pokeno with a group of girlfriends on a regular basis. She also spent time helping others in the community, as evidenced by a humanitarian award she received from the Lookout Counseling Association.
Anyone who was in Alice’s presence for half a minute knew Alice was a talker—a funny talker, at that. Many are the memories of her humorous remarks, her laughter-filled conversations and her uncanny ability to utter a jesting comment and cause someone she had just met to trust her with a long-held secret.
From an early age, Alice was a member of Phillips Temple C.M.E. Church. The “family songbird” who sang in the high school choir also sang in the church choir. As she loved children, for a number of years she taught a Sunday School class for children in the primary school age range. Additionally, she was quite active in the church’s missionary work.
After the death of her sister in Chattanooga in 2016, Alice moved to Washington, D.C., to live with her brother and his family. While there, she attended Union Temple Baptist Church and quickly came to know many of the church members. Upon her brother’s death in 2018, she moved to Piscataway, NJ, to live with her sister. At that time, she was unable to attend church. However, she thoroughly enjoyed the streamed services of Cathedral International every Sunday morning while being medicated, fed and groomed for the day.
Alice was preceded in death by both parents, a sister, Minnie G. Hughley, and her brother, Fred N. Grimes, Jr.
Alice leaves to cherish precious memories her son, Robert (Shawn) Linder-McDowell, Norristown, PA; two sisters, Frances A Grimes, Piscataway, NJ, and Freddie G. Thompson, Buffalo, NY; a sister-in-law, Frances S. Grimes, Washington, D.C.; two nieces, Jennifer Thompson, Buffalo, NY, and Jennifer (Johan) Paige, Washington, D.C.; four nephews, Albert (Paula) Thompson, Buffalo, NY, and Roderick (Pat) Grimes, Pontiac, MO, Frederick Grimes, St. Louis, MO, and Fred Grimes, III, Washington, D.C.; an aunt, Bessie Parham, Chicago, IL; a sister-in-law, Elaine Grimes, St. Louis, MO; four great nieces, Brionna Thompson, Kennedy Grimes, Morgan Grimes and Jewel Paige; six great nephews, Jason (Lauren) Grimes, Geoffrey Thompson, Frederick Grimes, II, Chandler Grimes, Micah Grimes and Johan Paige, Jr.; two great-great nephews, Evan Grimes and Jerome Grimes; a “special pal,” Geraldine C. Darden; devoted caregivers, Pauline Eaves and Julia Chambliss; and a host of cousins, other relatives and treasured friends.
Public viewing will begin at 9 a.m. until the hour of the service at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, April 29, in the chapel of the funeral home.
Interment will follow at Forest Hills Cemetery.
Arrangements are entrusted to John P. Franklin Funeral Home, 1101 Dodds Ave., Chattanooga, 423 622-9995.