Leta Grimes Obituary

Funeral services for Leta Grimes, 96, of Portales will be held at 2:30 PM, Fri., Feb. 20, 2026 in the Wheeler Mortuary Chapel with Bro. Don Hay officiating. Burial will follow in the Portales Cemetery with Joe Ham, Shon Knox, Joshua Short, Chad Heflin, Josh Valencia and Archer Knox serving as pallbearers.
Leta Jo Grimes was one of a set of twin girls born on April 12, 1929, in Tucumcari, NM to the home of Elizabeth Pearl (Jacobs) and John Simuel Harris, and passed from this life on Feb. 14, 2026 in Clovis, NM. She grew up in Portales until the tenth grade when she moved briefly to Independence, KS. She moved back to New Mexico, and graduated from high school in San Jon. In 1950, she moved back to Portales, and on Sept. 12, 1952, she was married to Bill Grimes. The couple had three children together before divorcing in 1979.
In 1972, Ms Grimes began working at Luke's Drive In. She retired in 1989, following 17 years in that job. In addition to work and family, Leta was always active in her church. She had been a member of the Church of God since 1988. In 1994, she began helping with Rainbows, and in 1998 she became the teacher. In 2015, the congregation honored her with a "Crowning Ceremony" because of all of her hard work. Ms Grimes was always careful to give any glory to the Lord.
In 1965, Leta began playing on a Women's Softball team, and after a few years, she became the coach. She also coached a basketball team as well as Little Wranglers where she was loved and admired by the young people. Bowling also was one of the sports she enjoyed.
She is survived by a son, Kenny Simuel Grimes of Moffit, CO; a daughter, Debbie Grimes and her life partner, Joe Ham of Portales; a son-in-law, Danny Heflin of Portales; two honorary sons, James Nixon of Bertram, TX and Joe Eddy Nixon of Portales; two honorary daughters, Nisey Nixon and Kaila Nixon both of Portales; 7 grandchildren and 2 step-grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and 3 great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, a brother, Dalton Seaberry who died in 1970, a sister, Stella Lamb who died in 1974, her twin sister, Cleta Looney who died in 2022, a daughter, Ludell Heflin who died May 9, 2018; a grandchild and a step-gandchild and 1 great-grandchild.
Arrangements are under the direction of Wheeler Mortuary of Portales. 575-356-4455, wheelermortuary.net