AMY SUSAN GRIMES

Amy Susan Grimes died suddenly on October 19, 2018. She will be missed beyond measure.

Amy was born in Houston, Texas on February 17, 1952, the second of four children born to Ardath and William Osborn Grimes. The family lived mainly in Houston during her childhood, aside from two years in The Hague, Netherlands. After graduating Magna cum Laude from Memorial High School in 1970, she studied at the University of Texas at Austin, where she earned a BA in English with honors and a minor in Philosophy (1976).

Amy lived mainly in Austin 1970-1990, then moved to New Mexico 1990-2010, living first in Jemez Springs, then Los Alamos, and finally Santa Fe. She returned to Houston in 2010, to care for her parents in their final years, and worked for the Houston Independent School District until retiring in 2015. She began her work in education in 1974 at the Child Craft School in Austin, and worked at a number of schools in Austin, Los Alamos, Santa Fe, and Houston over the next forty years.

She was a loving and amazing mother to three children, Yvonne Kimmons, Spring Pearson and Sam Pearson. She loved her children and her students deeply, and worked tirelessly to support them in living their best possible lives.

Amy loved biking, hiking, doing yoga, winning games of all sorts (especially word games), playing music, campaigning for the environment, the betterment of public education and other progressive political causes, having adventures, and mostly helping other people. She loved everything about being in the mountains, especially when the aspens and cottonwoods began to turn.

Amy is preceded in death by her parents William Osborn and Ardath Grimes, and her sister Sarah Murphy. She is survived by siblings Melissa Grimes of Austin and Billy Grimes [Judith] of Durango, CO; children Yvonne Kimmons [Bryan Williams] of Austin, Spring Pearson [Theo Crouse-Mann] of Asheville, NC, and Sam Pearson of Santa Fe, NM; and granddaughter Saskia. She just missed meeting a second granddaughter, Amy Solveigh. She is also survived by countless friends, students, and extended family members. Her love, compassion and acceptance touched us all and we will miss her dearly.

A celebration of her life will be held on Sunday, February 17th at 3:00 PM at the Santa Fe Tutorial School, 400 Brunn School Rd, Santa Fe, NM, 87505. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Earth Care International, Democracy Now!, or Community Voices For Public Education in Amy’s name.