DOUGLAS: James Edwin Grout, age 70, of Douglas, a former longtime Shrewsbury resident, died on Friday, August 4, 2017, with his loving family by his side. He had been the devoted husband of Anna Mae (Palmer) Grout for 39 years.
Born in Worcester and raised in Shrewsbury, he was a son of the late Edwin James and Edith D. (Warner) Grout. Jim was a graduate of Shrewsbury High School and earned his Bachelor’s in Business from Nichols College.
Jim was employed for over 40 years with Sprague Electric, later Allegro MicroSystems. He continued his education nights at Sylvania Technical School in Waltham. Among his many accomplishments was the design and implementation of clean rooms. At the end of his time with the company he held a management position overseeing microchip production, the mainstay of the business.
Jim enjoyed boating on Lake Quinsigamond in Shrewsbury and was talented slalom waterskier, a skill he shared with his sons as they grew up. He and Anna Mae spent ten happy years in the Myrtle Beach area, then returned to Massachusetts two years ago as Jim’s health declined.
He is survived by Anna Mae; their two sons, William McNeil of Old Lyme, CT, and Jeffrey McNeil of Newton; his brother, Thomas Grout and wife Robin of Shrewsbury; a nephew, Nicholas; and a niece, Shawna.
There is no public service planned. Donations in Jim’s memory may be made to North Myrtle Beach Humane Society Animal Shelter, PO Box 3369, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582, where the Grouts found Princess. Jimmy and Princess spent many hours together on their porch in South Carolina and on their deck in Douglas. She was a special companion to her adopted parents.