Lionel Grimes, Jr – Graduated 1968; Inducted 2023
Lionel ‘Dowdy’ Grimes is a 1968 AHS graduate, where he was outstanding in athletics and academics. Dowdy played football, basketball, and baseball, as well as serving as president of the class. Dowdy began his post high school education at the University of Wyoming. As a member of the football team, he joined 13 other players in a protest based on diversity issues which led to them being removed from the team. Grimes then entered University of Findlay (OH). Upon graduation he worked for the Ford Motor Co. He continued in the automobile field until retirement from his auto dealership in Delaware, OH.
Grimes received honors throughout his life, including a Barrier Breaker Award from the National Consortium for Academic and Sports from University of Central Florida in 2017. In 2019 he was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the African American Diaspora Studies at the University of Wyoming for his vision, contribution, and dedication to the struggle of Black liberation. In 2022 he was selected as an Alliance City Schools Pathfinder, based on his lifetime of achievements. The members of the ‘Black 14’ group of football players from the late 1960’s have put time and effort into making the world a better place. They joined with the Church of Latter Day Saints to provide food for those in need throughout the country. Due to Dowdy having grown up in Alliance, he has chosen our community to receive thousands of pounds of food over the past several years.
He married his lifelong sweetheart, Marsha Skillern, who passed away at the end of 2023, just shy of their 50th anniversary.
Learn more about Lionel on Google.