Audrey Lou Oates Grimes, 87, of Winchester, Virginia, died Monday, April 25, 2016 in her home.

Mrs. Grimes was born in 1929, in Winchester, Virginia, the daughter of the late Clarence S. and Eva P. (Cooper) Oates in Winchester, Virginia. She attended Handley High School in Winchester and the Winchester Business College. She worked for Pifer’s Stationary Store for 18 years and was an Associate with Montgomery Ward Department Store for 28 years, retiring in 1990, but continued working for another 3 years after “retirement”. Mrs. Grimes was a member of First Baptist Church in Winchester. She was a Charter member of Winchester Lioness Lions Club having the longest membership of that chapter and was “Lion of the Year” in 2014. Mrs. Grimes was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, Preservation of Historic Winchester, and the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley. In 1993, she was awarded the “Top Volunteer Award” by the Chamber of Commerce for her service to the Downtown Development Board. She volunteered for 10 years at Kurtz Old Town Welcome Center where in 1995 was named “Volunteer of the Year”. Mrs. Grimes was a true people person. She loved being involved in her many groups and various activities. Audrey really enjoyed going on cruises; her last cruise was to Cape Town, South Africa. She was especially fond of caring for her garden and her tomatoes and was very proud of her yard and beautiful flowers.

She married Daniel “Danny” Thomas Grimes on September 9, 1951, in Winchester. He preceded her in death on December 3, 1997. She was also preceded by her sisters, Elizabeth Mason, Dorothy Cox and Lillian Mae McKnown and her brothers, Wilbur Cooper Oates and Clarence Sonny Oates.

Surviving is her brother, Donald E. Oates, of Augusta, Georgia; and a number of nieces, nephews and other extended family.

The family will receive friends on Monday, May 2, 2016, one hour prior to the service, at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel.

A funeral service will be conducted at 2:00 pm on Monday at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel with Reverend George Fletcher officiating. Interment will be in Mount Hebron Cemetery, Winchester, Virginia.

Pallbearers will be Jeffery Patton, Bill Webster, Norman Madagan, Dr. Jerry Grimes, David Oates and James Sipe, Jr. Honorary pallbearers are members of the Winchester Host Lions and Lionesses Clubs.

Memorial contributions should be made to the First Baptist Church of Winchester, 141 N Washington St, Winchester, VA 22601.