Carole D. Grindstaff

Carole D. (Speck) Grindstaff was born on February 6, 1942, at St. Francis Hospital in Beech Grove, Indiana, to the late Russell and Agnes (Wyss) Speck. She passed away on April 22, 2026, after a courageous, increasingly difficult, 12-year debilitating battle with vascular dementia.

Carole graduated in 1960 from Emmerich Manual High School in Indianapolis, honing the artistic skills she was born with. After graduation, she went on to earn a certificate in Dental Assisting from Indiana University’s School of Dentistry. There, she became classmates and close friends with Mary Ann, a girl from Loogootee, Indiana. During their time together in school, Carole was invited by Mary Ann to spend a weekend in Loogootee. This led to a Saturday evening at Jasper, Indiana’s Calumet Lake dance hall, where she met the young man who was to be her future husband of 61 years, Gordon Grindstaff.  They were married in June of 1964, and over the next 9 years became the parents of 4 children.

Carole, also known as Susie, to the readers of her husband’s newspaper column, led a varied career, working a few years for Dr. Niles Hansen before settling in as a homemaker to raise their children and to care for their oldest child, John, who was born with cerebral palsy. She picked up some carpentry skills when she and Gordon spent a year constructing their home on five acres west of Mooresville, where they would remain for the next 25 years.  When the kids were all of school age, Carole put her artistic skills to work at Carol’s crafts, a shop owned by her friend, also named Carol. There, among other things, she taught craft classes in oil painting, calligraphy, toll painting, macrame, and putting together stained glass.

After the craft shop moved to Nashville, Indiana, over the next several years, Carole put her love for flowers and artistic experience working part-time as a floral designer at the Cobweb and Roses flower shop in Mooresville, Indiana. Her next stop was serving as office manager for the Jenny Wren press, a shop specializing in artwork and books from the noted Vermont artist and author, Tasha Tudor.

When she was offered a position in Indianapolis as the director of Handi-Capable Hands, a workshop for 25 or so adults with disabilities ranging in age from early 20’s to mid-forties, she accepted the demanding job without hesitation. This position became the love of her life, as she spent the next 11 years working with her ‘kids’ before retirement.

At this point in their lives, Gordon and Carole, an adventurous woman who loved discovering and experiencing new places, sold their home, bought a pickup truck and a 30-foot fifth wheel RV, which they dubbed ‘Fiona’. They spent the next 13 years traveling the highways and byways of North America and Mexico, working in National Parks, State parks, and National wildlife refuges, learning new things at each of their stops.  Along the way, they retired the first truck and the original Fiona, purchasing a new truck and a 32-foot fifth wheel dubbed, of course, ‘Fiona II’. Eventually, the rig was parked and the two of them moved into a home in the suburbs of Indianapolis when it became apparent that Carole’s forgetfulness was turning into something much more serious.

Family, the many friendships she formed during her life and spending time outdoors were very important to Carole, as was her Church, St. Thomas More, where she spent several years volunteering in the religious education program. She was a very talented gardener and filled her home and yards with water features, gnomes, and an amazing variety of flowers and plants. She especially loved spring flowers, yellow roses, and anything purple.

Carole was preceded in death by her son, John, her parents, her sister Mary Agnes ‘Jo’ Claas, her brothers Larry and Russell ‘Skip’ Speck. She is survived by her husband, Gordon and their children, Joe (Michelle), Jason, and Julie (Rick) Grindstaff Lesh, her grandchildren, Riley Lesh, and William and Audrey Grindstaff. Survivors also include her sisters, Virginia and Ruth Speck, Cecilia (David) Wilson, Barbara Hughey, and Rita (Don) Kluemper; brothers and sisters-in-law, Victor Claas, Donna Speck, and Dian Speck; as well as a host of nieces and nephews.

Carole’s Life celebration and visitation will be held at Carlisle-Branson Funeral Home, 39 East High Street, in Mooresville, Indiana on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, from 4 to 8 PM. The recitation of the Rosary will be at 3:30 PM.  Visitation at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 1200 N. Indiana St, Mooresville, will be held Wednesday, April 29, 2026, from 10 to 11 AM followed by The Mass of Christian Burial at 11 AM.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Carole’s name may be made to Riley Children’s foundation at www.give.rileykids.org. Visit www.CarlisleBranson.com to share a favorite memory or to sign the online guest registry.