- Date Of Birth: May 2, 1925
- Date Of Death: June 14, 2021
- State: Florida
Family and friends are mourning the death of Barbara Rose Grimaldi, a longtime resident, developer, and benefactor of South Walton County. Although Miramar Beach was her beloved home for many decades, Barbara was residing with the Vestiarki Sisters of Jesus in Sunny Hills, Fla., when she passed away on June 14, 2021, at the age of 96.
Born in Flushing, N.Y., on May 2, 1925, she was the firstborn of Michael and Marion Grimaldi’s three daughters. Her father, a career Army officer, was the founder of Miramar Beach and known to the area as the Colonel.
Throughout the 1950s and early ’60s, Barbara held numerous positions at Eglin AFB. After her father’s death, Barbara took on various projects of the Colonel’s. She became the first president of South Walton Utility Company and ran Grimaldi Enterprises, a real estate company. Her career in real estate spanned decades. She donated the land that was used for the Miramar Beach Post Office and was a significant donor to Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital Emerald Coast. A proud promoter of South Walton, she was amazed to watch the area change over the years, especially from the days when her father had homesteaded here. Barbara had a generous spirit, a keen intelligence, and a fun sense of humor. She was a devout Catholic and a pro-life advocate, and, above all, Barbara loved our Lord wholeheartedly.
Barbara was preceded in death by her sisters, Ruth Burwell and Marion Wright.
