WATERBURY – Daniel “Danny” Grimes Sr., 71, entered peaceful rest on Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at Saint Mary’s Hospital with his beloved wife, Janet, and son, Daniel Jr., by his side.
Dan was born in Waterbury on Sept. 14, 1950, to the late Joseph and Helen Irene (Charbonneau) Grimes. Dan grew up in Cheshire and graduated from Cheshire High School in 1968. Dan served as a wheeled vehicle mechanic, and was honorably discharged from the Army National Guard on Aug. 13, 1974.
Dan went on to work as a certified ford mechanic at Academy Ford and M&E Ford. He also worked at M&M Construction, Trio Trucking and Waco Scaffolding. He continued his education in machine technology and graduated from Kaynor Tech in 2000.
Dan would also volunteer his time to help deliver food from the Church of the Epiphany to the soup kitchen, along with helping where needed for the Cheezic Tang Soo Do Federation events.
Dan always had a love for cars and would rebuild and race stock cars. He attended many car shows over the past decades sporting his beloved Red 67 Ford Mustang. He played softball for many years in various leagues including Cheshire, Southington and Prospect’s adult men’s leagues. You could always catch him watching an MLB game, especially if the Yankees were playing.
His biggest pride and joy in his life was his son and granddaughters. They always brought a smile to his face when they came for a visit.
In addition to Janet (Lynch) Grimes, his wife of 45 years, Dan is survived by his son, Daniel F. Grimes Jr. and his wife, Jamie, and their daughters, Samantha, Madison and Abigail of Watertown. He also leaves his brother, Thomas Grimes and his wife, Carole, of Terryville; his sister, Mary Filippone and her husband, Donald, of Cheshire; and his aunt, Ruth Charbonneau of Newtown. Dan also leaves behind his three sisters-in-law, Marie O’Donnell of Cheshire, Patricia Ardry and her husband, John, of Georgia, and Geraldine Owen and her husband, Brian, of Cheshire, along with many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Dan’s funeral service will be on Saturday, June 4, 2022, at 10 a.m. at Prospect Memorial/The Palmerie Family Funeral Home, 72 Waterbury Road, Prospect. Procession will follow from the funeral home to the Calvary Cemetery Mausoleum for entombment with military honors.
Friends and family are invited to gather with the Grimes family on Friday, June 3, 2022, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Prospect Memorial/The Palmerie Family Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Dan’s name to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (stjude.org).
