Edna L. Grubbs

Edna L. Grubbs, 96, passed away peacefully on February 2, 2024, in Tallahassee, FL. She was born in Panama City, FL, on April 8, 1927, and was raised in Port St. Joe, FL. She was the last of seven children born to Melvin and Sarah Lewis. Edna was in nursing school in Jacksonville, FL, when she met a young sailor, Louie (Lou) Grubbs. They married on February 8, 1946, and, after his discharge from the Navy, they moved to Sidell, FL, to manage his father's turpentine business. In 1949, when Lou and his father opened Grubbs and Son's Hardware on South Osprey Avenue, Edna assisted with the store’s daily operations. Edna also managed the office at J&J Aircraft after Lou became a partner in the business in 1954. When Lou joined Eastern Airlines as a pilot in 1956, they moved to Atlanta, GA, and then to Miami, FL, where Edna then concentrated on raising their three sons. In 1975, the family moved back to Sarasota, FL, and built a house in Hidden River, where they raised cows, chickens, dogs and cats. Edna was a member of the Bradenton Chapter of Eastern Star and was an active member of Old Miakka Church. She will be remembered for her warmth, her strength, and her delicious cooking. Edna was preceded in death by Louie, after almost 60 years of marriage. She is survived by three sons; Bill of Newland, North Carolina; Jim of Tallahassee; and Wayne (Debbie) of Sarasota. Other survivors include five grandchildren: Jennifer Boland (John), Ashley Cook (Daniel), Emily Grubbs, Andrew Bennett (Cristina), and Jennifer Wittman (Wade); a niece, Linda Smith; and nephews Mark Grubbs and Richard Shook. Edna is also survived by and nine great-grandchildren: Finley, Bradford and John Wells Boland; Miles Cook; Sofia and Alexandra Bennett; and Jackson, Drew and Lily Jane Flores. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on February 10 at the Toale Brothers Funeral Home at 40 North Orange Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34236. A reception will be held at the funeral home immediately after the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Old Miakka Church, 1620 Myakka Road, Sarasota, FL, 34240, or Big Bend Hospice, 1723 Mahan Center Blvd., Tallahassee, FL, 32308.

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Edna L. Grubbs

April 8, 1927 - February 2, 2024