Flora Gertrude Grigsby Heupel, of Florence, passed away Friday, Jan. 9, 2015, attended by all four of her children. She was 92 years and 9 months of age.
Visitation will be Sunday, Jan. 11, 2015, from noon-2 p.m. at Greenview Funeral Home, Florence, with funeral service to follow at 2 p.m. in the funeral home chapel, with Brother Tim Grigsby officiating. Burial will be in Mt. Zion Cemetery in St. Florian.
Mrs. Heupel grew up in Brush Creek community of Killen, the youngest of 14 children of Icie Leona Crunk Grigsby and Robert Lee Grigsby. Part of an extensive network of cousins, nieces and nephews, she inherited the family love of visiting and talking, and allowed few awkward silences. She was an old-school homemaker able to stock a pantry from the home garden and set a table the likes of which are rare to see today. A lifelong resident of Lauderdale County, she faithfully attended Church of Christ congregations at Macedonia, Glendale and Lone Cedar as long as she was physically able.
Mrs. Heupel was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, Eugene Heupel; her parents, Icie and Lee Grigsby; all 13 of her siblings; and granddaughter, Ashley Callahan.
She is survived by all four of her children, Billy Heupel (Brenda), Donald Heupel (Sue), Betty Balch (Dennis), Janice Callahan (Joe Bill); six grandchildren, Holly Dodd, Cara Balch, Amy Claerbout, Chase Callahan, Haley Heupel, Lesley Callahan; four great-grandchildren, Harley Phillips, Henley Phillips, Aubree Witt, Graham Claerbout; and two sisters-in-law, Elizabeth Butler and Nellie Wear Crittenden.
Pallbearers will be Chase Callahan, Matthew Claerbout, Leon Grigsby, Larry Grigsby, Richard Gist and Paul Dodd. Honorary pallbearers will be Jerry Grigsby and James Lamb.
The family gratefully acknowledges the support of the staff and the companionship of the residents of Greenoaks Inn. Memorials may be made to either the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (online at bcrfcure.org or by mail at The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, 50 E. 56th St., Eighth Floor, New York, NY, 10022) or the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (online at jdrf.org or by mail to JDRF, 26 Broadway 14th Floor, New York, NY 10004
