James "Jim" Grimsley

James “Jim” Grimsley, born in 1938, passed away peacefully on February 10 at the age of 87. Jim lived a life marked by service to country and devotion to family. Jim was born in the extremely rural town of Thompson, Iowa, the oldest of four boys born to Eldene Folkedal and Ervin “Bud” Grimsley. Alongside his brothers—Roger, Marvin, and David—Jim grew up learning the value of hard work, responsibility, and brotherhood. When Jim was in the second grade, his family moved west to Hollister, California, an agricultural community known at the time for its apricot orchards. The family settled into the town and like many energetic boys, Jim and his brothers found ways to get into their fair share of mischief. Jim attended school in Hollister, where he excelled in athletics, particularly basketball and baseball, and demonstrated an early talent for music, playing the saxophone. He graduated from Hollister High School in 1956. Following graduation, Jim continued his education at San Benito College where he completed two years of general studies and earned his Associate of Arts degree. He then worked at the local Safeway grocery store while attending business classes at San Jose State University. In October 1960, Jim returned to Hollister and enlisted in the United States Army, hoping to attend language school. He entered basic training at Fort Ord, California, where he tested into the Army’s foreign language program. Initially assigned to Russian, Jim was reassigned due to an oversupply of Russian linguists and began studying Czech at the language school in Monterey, California. In January 1962, Jim was briefly stationed at Fort Dix, New Jersey, before being deployed to Germany. He spent two years serving his country during the Cold War, monitoring and gathering intelligence on enemy communications, work that required precision, discretion, and immense discipline. Jim returned to Hollister in late 1963 and worked for Black & Cooper Furniture until mid-1964, when he applied for and accepted a position with the National Security Agency as a Czech linguist, continuing his service on a larger scale. In October 1964, he attended a Halloween party where he was introduced to Jeanne Roosen, who would soon become the love of his life. Jeanne was particularly impressed by Jim’s red Mustang. The two were married in May 1965 and remained together until Jeanne’s passing in 2023. Jim and Jeanne raised their children, Ted and Larry, and demonstrated the importance of hard work and dedication to their careers. Jim devoted more than 30 years to the National Security Agency, serving his country with quiet pride and unwavering commitment. His work remained largely unspoken, but his sense of duty and integrity were evident throughout his life. After retirement, Jim and Jeanne settled in Lititz, Pennsylvania, where they lived for over 20 years before eventually relocating to Sykesville, Maryland, surrounded by family and friends. He was extremely proud of his Norwegian heritage, which he credited for his strong work ethic. He loved watching sports and old Western movies. Above all, he cherished watching his four grandchildren grow and took great joy in seeing and hearing about their successes. Jim will be remembered as a devoted husband, loving father, proud grandfather, loyal brother, and patriotic public servant. His life’s journey—from rural Iowa to international service—stands as a testament to perseverance, curiosity, and commitment. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him. A family graveside service will take place in Pennsylvania at Lititz Moravian Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Fairhaven Residents Assistance Fund at 7200 Third Ave, Sykesville, Maryland 21784

James "Jim" Grimsley

March 14, 1938 - February 17, 2026