James F. Grumich

Grumich, James, 81, July 8, 2017. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Maureen (Dowd) Grumich, his daughter Mary Beth Schulte; sons Dan (Mary Pat) Grumich, Tim (the late Amy) Grumich, Rob (Molly) Grumich and the late Jimmy Grumich and grandchildren Colin Schulte, Danny, Connor and Abby Grumich and Jimmy and Mimi Grumich. Visitation for Jim, who donated his body to the St. Louis University Medical School, will be 2-6 pm Tuesday, July 11 at Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Church at 150 North Elizabeth Ave, Ferguson, MO, 63135. A memorial Mass will be held following the visitation at 6 pm followed by a reception in the Parish Hall. Memorial gifts may be made to Trinity Catholic High School, Theatre Dept, 1720 Redman Rd, St. Louis, MO 63138. Jim was a gentle and caring father, father-in-law, grandfather, uncle, cousin and brother-in-law as well as a friend to all who knew him. As a high school teacher and Drama Club Director in the St. Louis Archdiocese for 42 and a half years and a part-time Drama Club Coordinator for several years after his retirement, Jim touched the lives of thousands of young people in the St. Louis area. Born to Elizabeth and Frederick Grumich in 1935 and raised as an only child in St. Edward Parish in North St. Louis, Jim attended McBride High School and St. Louis University before a short stint in the Army. In January of 1958, Jim joined the faculty of Corpus Christi High School in Jennings as an English and Speech teacher. During his early years at Corpus Christi, Jim began his long career of directing plays and musicals. Exposing his students to the joys of performing and entertaining quickly became a lifelong mission. When Corpus Christi closed in 1974, Jim moved to Mercy High School in University City and then eventually Aquinas-Mercy High School in Florissant in 1985 when Mercy and St. Thomas Aquinas merged. Following his retirement from teaching in 2000, Jim continued as a part-time Drama Club Coordinator at Aquinas-Mercy and then Trinity Catholic High School until the age of 76. Jim’s teaching was not limited to the classroom or the theatre. Just as important were the life lessons he left with his students. If a life well spent is measured by the influence a person has on those around them, Jim could not have had a more productive life. His influence is far-reaching and his legacy profound. He will be missed but never forgotten by those who knew him.

James F. Grumich

November 3, 1935 - July 8, 2017