Palestine High School Alumni Association

02 / 23 / 1904  –  07 / 14 / 1978

Mrs. H.B. “Fonda” Grigsby, 74, a retired school teacher from Palestine, died Friday at 3:30 a.m. in Palestine Nursing Center following a long illness.  Funeral services will be held Sunday at 1:30 p.m. in Hassell & Foster Chapel with Dr. Ed Bayless officiating.  Burial will follow in Land of Memory Cemetery.  Her husband. Henry Bryant Grigsby, preceded her in death on October 7, 1973.

Mrs. Grigsby, the former Fonda Wade Braly, was born in Anderson County February 23, 1904, the daughter of the late John Wade Braly, Sr., and Mary Emma Barnes Braly.  She was a lifelong resident of Anderson County, raised in Elmtown.  She was a graduate of Palestine High School and Sam Houston State Teachers College, where she received both her Bachelors and Masters degrees.  Mrs. Grigsby was a member of the First Presbyterian Church and the National Retired Teachers Association.  During her teaching career, she taught schools in Del Rio, Palestine, Cayuga, Woodhouse and Neches.

Survivors include two brothers, Walter B. Braly, Sr, of Palestine and John W. Braly Jr. of Lost Prairie Lake; three sisters, Mrs. J.M (Aunella) Cely of Del Rio, Miss Pauline Braly of Palestine, and Mrs. Florelle Bryan of Hutchins; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Wayne Craddock, Malcolm G. Smith, Col. Charles Howard Valentine, Neual Braly, Ray Braly, Sam Braly, Jr. and Narris Wade Braly.

In addition to all friends, all ex-students and teachers of Mrs. Grigsby have been designated honorary pallbearers.

In lieu of flowers, the family request that memorial contributions be donated to Palestine Carnegie Library for books.

Condolence calls will be received at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. John W. Braly, Jr. and Hassell & Foster Saturday from 7 – 8 p.m.