Leslie B. Grim

Leslie Blaine Grim, age 100, of Mt. Carroll, Illinois, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at Big Meadows in Savanna. Funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, March 22, at the Law Jones Funeral Home in Mt. Carroll. Visitation will be from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. prior to the service at the funeral home. Burial will be in Upper York Cemetery. A memorial fund has been established.

Born on August 1, 1925, on the family farm outside of Thomson, Illinois, Leslie was the son of Claude and Lula (Oakley) Grim. He attended local schools and graduated from Thomson High School in the class of 1943. It was in Thomson that he met the love of his life, Doris Mae Weitkamp, at the York Community Church. The two were married on June 10, 1950, in Thomson. They shared over 60 wonderful years of marriage, characterized by Leslie’s unwavering dedication to Doris; he would do absolutely anything for her.

A hardworking and resourceful man, Leslie dedicated much of his life to agriculture. He farmed the family land and later raised cows, chickens, ducks, and rabbits while living in Argo Fay for many years. During that time, he was known to butcher his own meat and make his own butter. He later worked as a feed salesman for Carroll Service in Lanark as well as working at many local factories.

To know Leslie was to know a man with a sharp mind, an inventive spirit, and a wonderful sense of humor. He was a devoted family man who, no matter how tired he was from a long day of work, never raised his voice and always made time to play with his children. He cherished his role as a grandfather, treating his grandkids to rides on his beloved 1937 Allis Chalmers tractor and cooking them his special pancake breakfasts whenever they stayed over.

Leslie had a knack for fixing problems and was a talented carpenter. He spent his spare time building birdhouses, working on wood projects, and famously making custom-sized wooden stilts for his family and friends—even hosting stilt-walking races. He was an avid gardener and canner throughout his life, and took special pride in the Grim family green beans. These bean seeds have been harvested by the Grim’s since Les’s grandparents started the tradition 150 years ago. He loved ice skating on the creek in Argo Fay (occasionally falling through the ice) and taking trips to Gays Mills apple orchard. In his later years, he kept his mind sharp by reading, doing jigsaw puzzles, and playing dominoes, a hobby he enjoyed for many decades.

A lifelong member of York Community Church and a long-time member of the Farm Bureau, Leslie remained active and independent throughout his entire life. He was incredibly proud to reach his 100th birthday, a milestone he celebrated with a special horse drawn buggy ride. Even at 100 years old, Leslie was still driving and mowing his own lawn, retaining his sharp memory right up to the very end.

Leslie will be dearly missed by his two daughters, Kara (Dick) Thomasson of Lena, Illinois and Patti Shepard of Fulton, Illinois; his son, Ray (Christie) Grim of Savanna, Illinois; seven grandchildren, Josh (Haley) Grim, Shauna (Chris) Lewis, Joe (Michelle Fossett) Grim, Jessica (Eric) Ballard, Eric Thomasson, Karissa (Damon Dann) Shepard, and Katelyn (Keegan) Lofquist; six great grandchildren, Carson, Connor, Tatum, Joseph, Gavin, and Morgann; one brother, Larry Grim of Camanche, Iowa; and many nieces and nephews. Leslie is preceded in death by his wife, Doris; his parents, Claude and Lula; his siblings Lester and Lola; and his son-in-law, Mark Shepard.