Lived for a while with cousin Jim Grimm’s Aunt Hattie in Isabella, Fayette Co., PA.4 Dad also lived for a time on his Grandpap Grimm’s houseboat, along with Melvin, apparently when he was young. Melvin told about them diving into the Allegheny River to go swimming and to wash off, yet having to push the waste (including sewage) out of their way to swim. Lisa remembers a story about Dad drinking some kerosene on the houseboat, which landed him in the hospital.

Started working on boats about age 15. At around this time, he and some of his brothers, as well as Clarence Farmer and some other neighborhood kids, went to work for Zubik Towing. They were called the “Mosquito Gang” because they were small and thin, compared with the adult workers.

Served with US Marines, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, in Korean War. In February 1952 he and his first wife, Ruth, were living at 117 Mendota St., Pittsburgh, PA. Ruth filed for divorce on January 30, 1953, just before he shipped out to Korea (case #1134_April_1953). The divorce was finalized September 28, 1954.

Worked at GM Proving Grounds in Milford, MI for a while, as well as Howell Motors for a brief time.

Buried in Uniondale (or Union Dale) Cemetery, Pittsburgh, PA, R-41-276-282.

Obituary, Fowlerville News & Views, (Fowlerville, MI), Monday, April 1, 1996, p. 21:

Donald E. Grimm, age 65, of 24 Essex Drive, Coraopolis, PA, died Monday, March 18, 1996 at home following a long illness. Donald was born the son of Charles and Lillian (Acklin) Grimm on November 6, 1930 in Glenwood, PA. He was married to Mary Jane Adkins, who survives him.

Mr. Grimm was a towboat pilot, primarily on the Ohio and lower Mississippi Rivers, although in later years he worked the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers. He worked on towboats and the rivers from the age of 14. He served in the Marine Corps during the Korean War and later at Paris Island, SC. He lived in Fowlerville for nearly twenty years, and was a member of the Masonic Lodge here.

Surviving relatives include 2 sons, Michael of Fowlerville, and Clarence of Niles, MI; 2 daughters, Diana Grimm-Mapp of Friendswood, Texas, and Lisa Bay of Howell; step-mother Lillian Grimm of Pittsburgh; brothers Charles, Melvin, Ronald, Richard and David, all of the Pittsburgh area; sisters Liz, Vivian, Debbie and Norma, also of Pittsburgh area; and 7 grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and one brother, Edward.

Funeral services were held Thursday, March 21, 1996 at 10:00 a.m. They were held at Sperling Funeral Home in Pittsburgh. Burial took place in Uniondale Cemetery in Pittsburgh.5

Obituary from The Waterways Journal, date unknown:

Capt. Donald “Gene” Grimm, 65, retired Campbell Transportation Company employee, died of cancer March 18 at his home in Coraopolis, Pa., According to his brother Charles, who also had worked for Campbell, Capt. Grimm began his river career with Charles Zubik at the age of 15. He was with Campbell during his last five years before retirement.

Charles Grimm, also a retired river captain, reported the names of several rivermen, whose deaths he said had not appeared in the Waterways Journal. They included Capt. Nick “Butch” Muick, “Hick” Muick, Capt. Charles Smith, Capt. Nick Woodrick, Capt. Herbert Starz, Capt. Coral Buttery and Capt. Donald Wise. He had no details but said the deaths had occurred over the last year or two and he had seen no reports on them.