Obituary of Charles Douglass Grimes

Charles Douglass “Doug” Grimes, Jr. On the morning of January 6th, 2017, Doug passed away peacefully after suffering a fall at home in late September. Doug was being visited and comforted by family members at The Adler Center for Caring in Aldie, Virginia, at the time of his passing. Doug was 84 years old. Doug was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on September 7, 1932. He was the only child of Anne B. Grimes and Charles Douglass Grimes. Doug attended elementary schools in Winston-Salem, Albany, Georgia, Lubbock, Texas, and Laurinburg, North Carolina. He graduated from Reynolds High School in Winston-Salem in 1950, lettering in band and football. Doug also had a keen interest in radio controlled model aircraft. In 1954, Doug earned his Bachelor of Chemical Engineering Degree (with honors) from North Carolina State University and subsequently joined Rohm and Haas Redstone Research Division in Huntsville, Alabama, where he designed and operated pilot plants to produce high energy compounds for use in solid rocket propellants. During this time, he received a patent for a process to produce pentaerythritol trinitrate. Doug joined Thiokol Chemical Corporation's Redstone Division in Huntsville, Alabama, and processed high energy propellants and formulated marketing programs in advanced technology. In 1961, he was transferred to Thiokol's Eastern District Office in Washington, DC, as a technical representative. In 1966, he was named Manager Advanced Aerospace Programs at Thiokol's Corporate Headquarters in Bristol, Pennsylvania. In 1968, Doug returned to Huntsville, Alabama, as Manager of Thiokol's Southern District responsible for aerospace marketing activities in eleven states including ten major contractors:  NASA Marshal, NASA Houston, Army Missile Command, Safeguard Command, and Eglin Air Force Base. He returned to Thiokol's Washington Office in 1971 as Manager of Air Force Programs. Doug joined Sundstrand Corporation in 1975 as Area Manager and was named Assistant District Manager in 1981, and Undersea Marketing Manager in1985. In 1986, he was appointed Vice President and General Manager of Sundstrand's Energy Systems Division in Rockford, Illinois, responsible for development and production of components for the Space Shuttle, Trident Missile System, torpedoes, and the International Space Station. Doug returned to Washington in 1988 as Vice President, Business Development Undersea Systems to coordinate Sundstrand’s torpedo propulsion programs with the U. S. Navy and the United Kingdom.   During his career, Doug was active in: -American Defense Preparedness Association -American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics -Association of the United States Army -Air Force Association -Navy League (Life Member) -Chowder and Marching Society Honors:  Tau Beta Pi, Gamma Sigma Epsilon, Phi Eta Sigma, Order of St. Patrick, Phi Kappa Phi Award, American Institute of Chemical Engineers Annual Scholarship Award Upon his retirement in 1990, Doug was able to pursue his love of the game of golf and enjoy the company of his friends and family full time. Doug is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Barbara Gosselin Grimes, his sons Chuck and Bob Grimes, his daughter Barbara Everhart, eight grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. Services will be held at 11:00 on Saturday, January 14, at St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, 8991 Brook Rd., McLean, VA. 22102.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Capital Center for Caring (www.capitalcaring.org).