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Monica Grinnell

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the death July 29, 2003, of Monika B. Grinnell after a long battle with cancer. Monika, a Senior Grants Administrator in Grant and Contract Services, died at her home in East Falmouth, MA, at age 61.

Monika (Benda) Grinnell was born and raised in Germany and attended schools there. She served an apprenticeship in business administration prior to beginning her professional career in 1957 in office administration at the Rieger & Ludwig Tire Center in Germany, where she worked until 1963. She married John Grinnell, her husband of 40 years, and moved to the United States, taking time off from her career to raise a family. She returned to work in 1974 in Falmouth as a bookkeeper and typist for Falmouth Bookkeeping Services, Inc. In 1978 she joined Commonwealth Travel as a bookkeeper, leaving in 1982 to join the Institution staff as an accounting assistant in the Controller’s Office.

Monika was a dedicated and conscientious employee. Her knowledge of the Bitech system and of National Science Foundation policies and regulations was invaluable to staff in all departments, and she was an invaluable resource to colleagues not only in Grant and Contract Services but to the science departments and administration. Colleagues note that she did whatever it took to get the job done, that she set a high standard for knowledge and level of service to the WHOI community. Others recall that she always came through at proposal time, working long and hard to make sure the proposals were out on time, and that she tried to understand problems from the scientist’s point of view, working to solve problems rather than simply say it could not be done. Her patience, professionalism and calm demeanor will be remembered by many.

Survivors include her husband John Grinnell of East Falmouth, MA; two daughters, Barbara Walkup of Cotuit and Brenda Grinnell of Mashpee; one son, Robert Grinnell of East Falmouth; a sister, Annie Berger of Ausburg, Germany; a brother, Edmund Benda of Ausburg, Germany.; and six grandchildren.

Visiting hours will be held Friday, August 1, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Chapman, Cole & Gleason Funeral Home, 475 Main Street, Falmouth. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Saturday, August 2, in Saint Anthony’s Church, Route 28, East Falmouth. Burial will follow in Saint Anthony’s Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers donations in Monika’s memory may be made to Hospice & Palliative Care of Cape Cod, 270 Communication Way, Hyannis, MA 02601 or to the charity of ones choice.