Obituary of Mildred Joyce Grunwald

Mildred Joyce Hilton Grunwald December 2, 1927 – August 22, 2022 Mildred Joyce Hilton Grunwald was born December 2, 1927, in Natchitoches Louisiana to John William Hilton and Helen Elizabeth McBride Hilton. She was the oldest sister, and fierce protector of her siblings: Sonny, Charles, and Jeanette. When she graduated high school, she moved off to the big city of Shreveport, Louisiana to attend secretarial school and live with her Aunt and Uncle. In 1953, she met the love of her life when James T. (Tom) Grunwald returned from the Korean War. His father, whom she worked for, played matchmaker. Married on September 25, 1954, Mildred and Tom raised two daughters, Jamesie Rodgers and Dr. Susan Wells. Mildred and Tom enjoyed years of boating, water skiing, their little red cabin in the woods, square dancing, and traveling with friends. Despite holding a full-time job when women her age didn’t, Mildred still managed to hold office on her daughters’ PTA boards, chaperone parties, and dances, and entertain their friends and their daughters’ friends by hosting regular parties. Mildred was always the life of the party and she and Tom were gracious hosts. Following the birth of their granddaughter, Whitney Wells, Cookeville, Tennessee became a regular destination for Mildred and Tom in retirement. In 1995, they relocated to Cookeville permanently. They continued to enjoy time with their family, extended family, and friends until Tom’s death in 2007 shortly after their 53 rd Anniversary. Mildred finally joined Tom for eternity when she passed away at the age of 94 on August 22, 2022, following a long battle with dementia. Mildred was known for her quick wit, her love of laughter and a good joke, and her love for family and friends. She was a force to be reckoned with and never one to mince words-you never had to wonder what she was thinking! In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by her parents and her brothers. She is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law: Jamesie and Bill Rodgers, and Drs. Susan and Stuart “Doc” Wells all of Cookeville, Tennessee; her granddaughter, Whitney Wells of Cookeville; and her sister and brother-in-law, Jeanette and Wayne Wilkerson of Pineville, Louisiana. She was “Dede” to numerous nephews, nieces, and their children and grandchildren. A Celebration of Life will be held on October 8, 2022,10:30 am at Christ Church Monteagle, 1059 W Main St, Monteagle, TN 37356. In Lieu of Flowers, her family request that donations be made to the Stuart “Doc” Wells Computer Forensics Lab and Classroom at Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, Tennessee. Gifts can be made online at tntech.edu/giving or by mailing a check, made out to the TTU Foundation, to TTU, Campus Box 1915, Cookeville, TN 38505. Be sure to indicate that your gift is for the Stuart “Doc” Wells Computer Forensics Lab and Classroom in memory of Mildred Grunwald.