Robert G. Grigsby ’53

Robert G. Grigsby ’53, of Huntsville, Ala., passed away peacefully Oct. 19 at home surrounded by his family. He was a loving and devoted husband, father, poppa, brother, minister, and friend. Born April 27, 1930, and raised in Franklin, Tenn., Grigsby received the Boy Scout rank of Eagle Scout in 1947. He was called to the ministry at a young age, and graduated from Davidson in 1953 and Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 1956. He met and married his life partner, Betty Lou Davis, in June 1954 in Louisville, Ky. He was ordained as a minister of word and sacrament in the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A., in 1956, and served churches in Kentucky, Ohio, and Florida, before being called to Huntsville in 1963 as pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church. He later served as regional communicator for the Synod of the Mid-South, and presbytery executive for Wilmington Presbytery in Wilmington, N.C., and Holston Presbytery in Kingsport, Tenn. He received an honorary doctorate degree from Tusculum College in Greeneville, Tenn., in 1992 for his years of service to the college and the presbytery. Throughout his life, Grigsby loved the outdoors and was an integral part of the camping ministries at Maranatha Camp and Conference Center in Scottsboro and Holston Camp and Retreat Center in Banner Elk, N.C. His love of travel and camping included many adventures with his family and friends throughout the 50 states and around the world. He was a fisher of men and a fisherman, loving both the time spent sharing the Good News of the Gospel and the sport of fishing. Grigsby was a gifted carpenter and delighted in taking a slab of wood and turning it into a work of art. He also loved sports-especially his beloved Kentucky Wildcats basketball team and enjoyed many trips to cheer them on in the nosebleed section of Rupp Arena. He loved being his grandchildren’s “Poppa” and spent many hours attending their sporting events, dance recitals, band concerts, horse shows, racing events, school programs, and graduations. He will be lovingly remembered and greatly missed by his wife of 56 years, Betty Lou Grigsby, 110 Paddington Green, Huntsville, AL 35824-1334; his children, Becky Wall (Jimmy), John Grigsby (Susan), Leslie Franklin (Philip), and Janet Stanfield (Michael); and his grandchildren, Toshi Satake (Megan), Lindsey and Nathan Franklin, Carl and Grace Stanfield, Jim Wall, and Bailey and Kenya Grigsby. Grigsby is also survived by his sister, Daisy Davis; brother, Jack Grigsby (Claire); sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Helen and Paul Taylor; as well as several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his mother and father, John Booker and Cleo Gregory Grigsby, and infant sister, Mabel Grigsby.