Mary "Mary Lou" Grimm

Providence - Mary “Mary Lou” Grimm passed away peacefully at The Highlands in Providence, R.I., in the company of her family on Monday, January 10, 2022.

Mary Lou was born in Delaware to William McDowell & Federica McDowell on December 19, 1927, the middle of 11 children.

Mary grew up in the Prices Corner area and attended Conrad High School.

She graduated in 1945 and had many of her classmates serve in war.

Mary met a man named Charles Coxe who wore a pair of orange moccasins on their first date.

They married in 1949 and started a family.

Mary is survived by her three children; Charles “Chuck” Coxe, Jr. and his wife, Liza, of Tucson AZ, Robert “Bob” Coxe of Millville, NJ. and Diane “Dee” Alper of Kingman, AZ and Pawtucket, R.I.

Mary is also survived by 6 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild.

Charles passed away in March of 1975 after a long illness following a stroke.

Mary later met Russ Grimm at a Parents Without Partners event.

They married in 1976 and soon moved to Thomaston, Maine.

Both loved their new home state and they became a couple of Maine-iacts.

Mary’s work career began with a job at an ice cream stand when she was quite young.

She worked at Hercules Powder Company in downtown Wilmington as a switchboard operator.

She transferred to Bell Telephone to help introduce the Wyman exchange.

She was a teller for Wilmington Trust on North Market Steet in Wilmington.

She spent many years working the overnight shift proofing downstate bank transactions.

In Maine, Mary used her banking skills to teller at what is now known as Bangor Savings Bank in Camden, Rockland and Thomaston Maine.

Sadly, Russ Grimm passed in 1993.

Mary took her quilting skills to the Pine Tree Quilters Guild .

Her efforts resulted in her election to president of the Maine Quilters Association.

Mary felt honored to hold this position and she cherished the opportunity for the rest of her life.

While volunteering for Audubon at Maine’s Hog Island facility, Mary met Steve Dresner.

They partnered and lived in New Harbor, Maine.

Services will be held at a later date in Thomaston, Maine.

In lieu of gifts, please contribute to the Pine Tree Quilters Guild of Augusta ME or to Alzheimer’s Assoc. of Maine at https://www.alz.org/maine.

Arrangements are entrusted to WILLIAM W.

TRIPP Funeral Home, Pawtucket, RI.

For online condolences please visit: TRIPPFUNERALHOME.com