Cheryl Grimes

Cheryl Clarice Sheffield Grimes was born February 18, 1942 and died May 29, 2023 at 81 years old. Funeral services will be held Thursday, June 1, 2023, at 11:00 AM at Colquitt First Baptist Church with Rev. Mark Worsley officiating. Interment will follow at Colquitt City Cemetery with Lee Chapman, Alan Sheffield, Dalton Sheffield, Bo Sheffield, Todd Thornton, and Ty Thornton serving as active pallbearers. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at Colquitt First Baptist Church.Nobody was better at telling stories and listening to the stories of others. Cheryl’s story was marked by a life of love, support, and dedication to her family and friends.Cheryl grew up in Miller County, the middle child of parents Counce and Rosella Sheffield. Cheryl’s older brother was Emory Sheffield and younger sister is Elaine Sheffield Thornton. In her early years, Cheryl lived on the family farm about which she told stories of her life surrounded by family and crops and where she developed a lifelong love of animals.Cheryl met Raymond Lamar “Buddy” Grimes while a teenager in 1958 and a love story began. Cheryl and Buddy married in Colquitt in 1960 and began a life that they built together. Cheryl studied at Perry Business School in LaGrange and began working in a variety of businesses as she supported Buddy’s career in coaching, teaching, and eventually school administration. They began as a married couple in LaGrange, then moved to Statesboro, followed by Carrollton, and then Thomasville. While living in LaGrange, Cheryl and Buddy developed a special love for the area and found themselves returning throughout their lives to enjoy their friends there.In 1963 in Carrollton, Cheryl and Buddy welcomed their first child Joel Lamar Grimes. In 1967 in Thomasville, Cheryl and Buddy welcomed second child Scott Sheffield Grimes. Shortly after they returned to Miller County where Cheryl joined the family business Sheffield Insurance Agency and where Buddy settled into a long career in coaching and education.Cheryl lived her life in Miller County in love and support to the boys, her family, her friends, and the community. Cheryl was a tireless presence in the lives of Joel and Scott as they grew and participated in academics, sports, and the arts. She worked hard and lived fun with frequent trips to the beach she loved, Mexico Beach, FL. With her parents Rosella and Counce and many extended family and friends, she enjoyed fishing trips to Lake Harris, FL. Pine Mountain also held a special place in her heart. Special pets were lucky to be a part of her story and are too many to name, but Cotton, Casey, Bubba, and Dodie were some of the luckiest. Cheryl was known to choose the stray underdog as her pet.Nothing made Cheryl happier than when she added the name Gigi to her story. The births of her grandchildren, Meghan, Tyler, Connor, and Evan, and then great grandchild Kylie were surely a highlight of Cheryl’s story. Each of them has their own story of the love and fun they shared with their Gigi. Highlights of their stories include lots of swimming in the pool, trips to the beach, little cokes, pink salad, saving stray animals, and sitting on the patio. Like they say, “I can at Gigi’s.” Cheryl was everything a grandparent could be.Sitting on the patio with Cheryl was where the meaningful stories really got told and where everyone loved to be with her. Cheryl’s approach crossed the boundaries of modern day and connected lucky folks there to a time where love and relationship happened through the spoken word. Cheryl loved to tell old funny stories and to explore new even difficult life stories with others. Her listening way made her friends and family feel loved, entertained, and sometimes guided if that is what they needed.Throughout her life, Cheryl extended her love and support to countless people who tell the story of her guidance when they needed it most. Many of these only Cheryl knows as she could be a trusted confidant.Cheryl will be remembered as a cherished spouse, mother, sister, mother-in-law, grandmother and great grandmother, beloved aunt, friend, and community member. Stories of the difference she made in the lives of others will go on and on, and we will all miss her terribly. We are comforted knowing she is sitting on a special patio now and telling stories with those who departed before her, lucky souls.Cheryl is survived by husband Buddy, sister Elaine, sons Joel and Scott, daughter-in-law Lee, grandchildren Meghan, Tyler, Connor, and Evan, great grandchild Kylie, and many nieces, nephews, and extended family.In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation or to the Colquitt First Baptist Church Chapel Restoration Fund.