January 20, 1930 – May 16, 2018
J D Grindstaff, 88, of Elizabethton, Tenn., passed away on Wednesday, May 16, 2018, at Ivy Hall Nursing Home.
J D was preceded in death by his mother and father, Vaught and Lina Grindstaff. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife of 32 years, Thelma Wright Grindstaff; sisters, Nadine Fisher and Bernice Grindstaff; brothers, Ernest, Orville and Bert; and a brother-in-law, Jack Barker.
J D was a loving husband and father and was loved by all who knew him. He worked at North American Rayon Corporation, American Air Filter and Barker’s Drive-Thru. He was a United States Navy Veteran and served in World War II. J D was of the Baptist faith.
Those left to cherish his memory are his wife of 30 years, Mary Lou Grindstaff, of the home; one daughter, Sue Williams and husband Gary; one grandson, Jamey Williams, wife Carrie and three special great-grandchildren, Gavin, Harper and Natalie; sisters, Mary and (Rev. Bill) Greer, Judy and (Ray) Scholls, Della and (Floyd) Nettles, Erma Barker and Ann and (Rev. Odell) Breland; a special sister-in-law, Eula Lee Grindstaff; step-children, John Ramey, Tom Ramey, Pamela Burghart and Scott Ramey; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Special thanks to Judy and Victor Deloach and all their staff at Ivy Hall Nursing Home for the loving care they gave J D for the past six years.
The graveside service for J D Grindstaff will be held at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, May 17, at Happy Valley Memorial Park in Elizabethton. Military Honors will be provided by the Carter County Honor Guard. Active pallbearers, who are requested to assemble at the funeral home at 1:50 p.m. Thursday, will be Billy Grindstaff, Jamey Williams, Gary Williams, Aaron Greer, Ed Thompson, Larry Grindstaff and Scott Ramey. Pastor Rob Letchner of the Johnson City Seventh-day Adventist Church and Rev. Bill Greer (J D’s brother-in-law) of the Watauga Valley Free Will Baptist Church will officiate the graveside service. Family and friends will assemble at the funeral home at 1:50 p.m. Thursday to go to the cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family at our website, www.memorialfcelizabethton.com.
Memorial Funeral Chapel is serving the family of J D Grindstaff.