James Wynton (Wes) Grinstead

After a long and happy life, at age 94, James Wynton (Wes) Grinstead passed away at home in Dothan, Alabama on Monday morning, October 18, 2021.

Now in the presence of his heavenly Father, he is once again with his little brother, Don, his sisters, Eloyse, Evelyn, Marjorie, and Shirley who went before him and his loving parents, Lula Thomas and John Wesley Grinstead.

Wes was born in Shamrock, Florida on March 25, 1927 and was raised in the coastal wooded counties bordering the Suwannee River, where a boy could hunt and fish to his heart’s delight. As a Florida pioneer descendant, his great-great-grandparents had settled in this part of Florida since the 1840’s.

In high school he lettered in football, basketball, and baseball. In 1945 he turned 18 and enlisted in the Merchant Marines, where for many months he was aboard an oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea in the South Atlantic. On VJ Day his ship was in the Panama Canal and was loaded with oil bound for the Pacific. Following the war, he returned to school to finish. Upon graduation, he was drafted into the US Army, where he became a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne at Ft. Benning. Upon discharge he returned to Florida as a surveyor with the State Highway Department where he was on the team that surveyed the road to Suwannee Florida, a road he would ultimately travel thousands of times over his lifetime. He was called to the Army again during the Korean War where he served at Ft. Bragg, NC.

Wes joined Dixie Lily Milling Company after his 2nd discharge and continued with Dixie Lily/Conagra/Martha White family in various regional sales manager roles until his retirement in 1992.

Wes married Dolores Chewning and they were married for 66 years. Wes and Dolores bought a vacation home in Suwannee, FL in 1966 and this brought joy, fun and fishing to the family for the next 50 years. Wes was a member of Ridgecrest Baptist Church.

A celebration of his life will be held at 3 pm on Wednesday, October 20, 2021 in Sunset Funeral Home with Rev. Bob Sanders officiating. Burial with full military honors will follow in Sunset Memorial Park.

Wes is preceded in death by his grandson, Townsend Thomas, his brother, Don Grinstead, his sisters, Eloyse Evans, Evelyn Williams, Marjorie Forrester, and Shirley Albertson.

Survivors include his wife, Dolores Chewning Grinstead; his daughters, Dana (Michael) Eidson, Kim (Joe) Drake, and Amy (Tim) Thomas; a special sister-in-law/daughter, Sue Hall; his 14 grandchildren, Matt Grinstead, Ross (Kasey) Eidson, Madeline (Tyler) Eidson, Allison (Jeremy) Benton, Joseph (Allison) Drave, Wesley (Leah) Drake, Dr. Ben (Rebecca) Drake, Davis (Eden) Drake, Joanna Drake, Katie Drake, James Drake, Tim Thomas, Jr., Taylor (Eric) Christian-Thomas, and Susannah (Adam) McCord; his 18 great-grandchildren (and two on the way); his sisters-in-law, Ginger Raethka; his sister, Sybil Webb; several nieces and nephews; and a special caregiver and friend, Shayla Reeves.

Robert and Toni Byrd · Sunset Memorial Park

1700 Barrington Rd, Midland City AL · (334) 983-6604