Norman Edward Grimm Sr.

09/18/1931 - 02/09/2026

Norman E. Grimm, Sr. amassed some impressive stats during his lifetime. From the glory days as an athlete, to countless stories from his years as a police officer, to the victories as a coach, he had all the ingredients for a full life. What really made him feel like a champion was his family. His sons Ed and Buckey embody the best of him, and the way he loved the most patient woman in the world, his wife, June, is proof that soulmates do exist.
Proudly raised in Del Ray, the son of Henry F. Grimm Sr. and Willie Frances (Smith) Grimm, and brother to five siblings, Norman left his mark at George Washington High School, lettering in baseball, football, basketball, and track. Following in his father's footsteps, he dedicated 27 years to the Alexandria Police Department, rising to Captain of the Detective Bureau. Upon his retirement, he worked fifteen years as Vice-President of Security for Burke and Herbert Bank.
He had a volunteer's heart, rolling up his sleeves to get the job done. There wasn't much of the 15 square miles of Alexandria he wasn't a part of over his lifetime. From serving as a volunteer firefighter to leading as the President of the Alexandria Police Association and Camp Charles H. Grimm in Kilmarnock, the Retired Police and Fire Association, and the Alexandria Sportsman's Club, he was truly committed to giving back. The Chamber of Commerce Valor Award, the City of Alexandria Distinguished Citizen and Humanitarian Award, and the Key to the City were just some of the honors that found their way to his shelf and his heart.
"Coach Grimm" to many ("Old Man Grimm" to the brave), he coached the way he baked his legendary fruitcakes: patiently, with focus, and always believing a little encouragement and spice, like a well-timed provocation of the other team, could make anyone rise. To him, football helmets were "buckets"; his tie clip on the sidelines of the gridiron was a part of the uniform; and his stride from the dugout to the pitching mound demanded a John Wayne-like swagger. It all earned him a spot in Bishop Ireton's Athletic Hall of Fame.
"Great Grandad, Grandad, Pop-Pop, Pop, Dad," he loved his family with a proud heart and a protective soul. With a towel in his back pocket, a belt buckle fit for a heavyweight champion, and a smile, he manned the grill to flip pizza burgers, perfected fried puffs slathered in jelly and butter, and made a mean pot of baked beans. He believed food tasted better when shared, with friends and family around the table.
"Rudy," as he was endearingly called by his wife because, well, she thought he could be lovingly rude at times, loved June and June loved him. Married at 19, raising two sons, they came from very little but gave everything. Theirs was a true love story - the candied cherries in the fruitcake of life, making days together sweet even when it was hard.
Like any good fisherman, Norman could stretch a tale just enough to make it memorable, whether it was about a fish, a game, or a day on the job. The stories got better with each telling. Even as his memory faded, his love for his life and the people in it never did. His life was a recipe we'll keep following: a little tough, a little sweet, and best when shared.
Norman is preceded in death by his wife, June Cecelia Grimm, his parents Henry F. Grimm, Sr. and Willie Francis (Smith) Grimm, sister Joyce St. Martin, brothers Charles Herbert Grimm, Henry F. Grimm, Jr., and Ralph Grimm; daughter-in-law Karen Grimm, and granddaughter, Cheryl Grimm. He is survived by his sister Shirley Warthen, his sons Norman Edward Grimm, Jr. (Monica), Charles Herbert "Buckey" Grimm, II, his seven grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.

A viewing at Everly-Wheatley Funeral Home in Alexandria will take place on Thursday, February 19, from 4 to 7 p.m. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Annandale on Friday, February 20 at 10 a.m., followed by a burial at Fairfax Memorial Park.



In lieu of flowers, and with great hope for a cure, donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association at alz.org.