R. Lee Grigsby, 89, of Warsaw, passed peacefully on Thursday, March 13, 2025, at his residence.
Lee was born on April 23, 1935, in Orange County, Ind., to the late Hugh and Marie Moffitt Grigsby.
He was raised near French Lick until the age of 6. That summer his family, which included his younger sister, moved to the Peru area. He was a 1953 graduate of Butler High School.
The family lived on Westleigh Farms, the home of Cole Porter. His dad ran the farm. He served in the National Guard from 1953 to 1962, leaving with the rank of SFC. Lee drove truck and then worked for REMC of Peru for 9 years as a lineman, JT&S for 7.5 years as a training and safety instructor for REMC, and Kosciusko County REMC.
He then married on Aug. 18, 1978 in the Olive Branch Church to Judy J. Hartman Howard. They blended their families together. Lee retired from REMC in 1998 as the operations director. For the last many years, Lee and Judy spent their winters at Lake Okeechobee and Moore Haven, Fla. He had been a member of the Indiana Sheriffs Association, Indiana State Police Alliance, Warsaw Moose, Warsaw Elks, the NRA and the Warsaw Pistol Club.
He is survived by his wife, Judy Grigsby, of Warsaw; children, Susan and husband David Clemons, of Peru; Nancy Williams, of Bunker Hill; Mark Howard, of Warsaw; and Lisa and husband John McIntire, of Warsaw; and Kyle Howard, of Michigan; nine grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren; a sister, Nancy and husband Kenny Walls, of Alexandria. Lee was preceded in death by his parents.
The memorial service for Lee will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 23 at Hartzler Funeral Home, 305 West Rochester St., Akron.
His interment will take place following the service in the Akron Cemetery, Akron.
Memorial visitation will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 23 at Hartzler Funeral Home, Akron.
Memorial contributions can be made in his memory to the Beaman Home, 603 Parker St, Warsaw, IN 46581.