Mildred "Mikki" Grube

Mildred “Mikki” Jett Grube

Mildred “Mikki” Jett Grube of Bastrop, formerly of Dallas, Texas, was reunited with her beloved husband, Edward, and precious daughter, Julia Anne, on July 8, 2020. At 95 years of age, Mikki had lived a long and rich life, filled with loving family, life-long friends and many adventures. Mikki was born on August 5, 1924, in Ft. Worth, Texas to Richard Jett and Katie Lee (Harmon) Jett. It was in Ft. Worth, during 3rd grade, that she met the first of her special life-long friends, Lee Green.

Mikki spent her childhood summers on her Grandma Harmon’s farm in Goldthwaite, Texas, with her cousins. She soon learned that the isolation and hard work of a farm was not how she wanted to spend her life.  She preferred the city and everything it offered. Her family relocated to Houston the end of her Junior year of high school. She graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1941.

Upon graduation, her friend Lee, who was already working at Fort Sam Houston, in San Antonio, sent her a bus ticket to join her.  They shared an apartment in a boarding house in walking distance to their jobs working on Post.  Weekends were spent downtown shopping, sightseeing or going to the picture show.  San Antonio was a bustling city as the war effort increased.

During one of these trips downtown Mikki met a dashing young Army Air Corps cadet from Ohio, training to be a navigator, Edward Mathias Grube. Edward and Mikki soon spent all their free time together, often meeting at the historic Menger Hotel bar. They continued their relationship through letters when he was transferred to Selman Army Airfield in Monroe, Louisiana for further training.

It was on a visit to see him in Louisiana, on February 20, 1943, that the couple eloped.  They had their first child, a daughter, Julia Anne, while Edward was still on Active Duty.  After the war, the small family moved to Dallas, into an apartment on Ross Ave, while Edward attended SMU.  Across the street, lived another veteran, Jerry Lambeth, who was also attending SMU and his wife, Nina, who was attending law school.  The couple became fast friends, watching TV and playing bridge on weekends. When Mikki and Edward’s son, Richard, was born in 1955, Jerry and Nina became his godparents.

Mikki spent 35 years working downtown at Southwestern Bell.  It was during her first week on the job that she met her other life-long friend, Shirley Brown.  Mikki and Shirley shared a passion for working in clay and took many pottery classes over the years

When Edward attended college, Mikki also took classes.  She regretted never finishing and was adamant that their son, Richard, completed his degree.  Education was very important to Mikki.  Although Julia Anne was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, Mikki was determined that she attend public school.  When Julia Anne was older, she went to live at the Denton and later Fort Worth State School, Edward and Mikki became house parents to all the girls in her unit. They visited weekly and organized birthday parties and other special events for the students.

Mikki had the soul of an artist.  Their house was full of bright colors, red being her favorite, and lots of art.  Some of this art was created by Edward, who loved to paint, and she was often his model. Pieces of Mikki’s pottery were displayed on shelves throughout their home. She even made the dishware they used for meals. Mikki enjoyed cooking and liked to try out new recipes, but she really loved going out to eat Mexican food.  She always ordered the same thing, “hot tamales” and a Margarita.

In addition to being a talented potter, Mikki was an expert seamstress.  She made all the draperies in her home and many of her clothes. Mikki was also skilled in knitting and needlepoint. Her hands were always busy working one project or another. If she didn’t have her knitting in her lap, she had a book. Mikki was a voracious reader who loved to read murder mysteries. She read every Nero Wolfe detective story.  She also had a green thumb and her house was filled with an abundance of plants, including numerous African Violets.

When they retired, Mikki learned to play golf in order to spend more time with Edward.  They also became avid square dancers.  Mikki and Edward travelled extensively, including trips to the Holy Lands, Europe, and Australia.  After Edward died, Mikki continued traveling with friends. She visited lighthouses in Maine and went to New Mexico to take pottery classes, travelled the river on a houseboat and even went to Guatemala.

Mikki was very active member of Episcopal Church of the Ascension, volunteering in the office. She managed the membership rolls and assisted in the counting of offerings on Sunday.  She and Edward transferred from the All Saints, when their dear friend, Fr. Michael Harmuth, became Rector of the church.  Fr. Mike and his wife, Marianne, were like family to the Grubes.  Fr. Mike served Communion to Julia Anne in their home and performed numerous weddings and funerals for family members.

She was also a member of the Second Saturday group, a dozen professional women who met monthly for almost a decade at each other’s homes to share recipes and network.

Mikki is proceeded in death by her parents, Richard Jett and Katie Lee Kelly, husband, Edward M. Grube; daughter, Julia Anne Grube; sister, Ethel Palmer; and dear friends, Lee Green, Jerry and Nina Lambeth and Shirley Brown.

She is survived by her son, Richard J. Grube; daughter-in-law, Carla; grand-daughter, Shannon Campbell (Nick); and numerous nieces and nephews.

As a result of current Covid-19 restrictions Mikki’s memorial and interment services are postponed until Saturday, October 24, at 10:00 am. They will be held at the Episcopal Church of the Ascension at 8787 Greenville Avenue, in Dallas, Texas.

In lieu of flowers please make a donation in Mikki’s honor to the Cerebral Palsy Foundation.