Longtime Arlington Hts. resident a 'leading light'

A dinner last month between members of the Turkish American Society and First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights would have pleased Joan Jobson Grisell, a longtime congregation member.

Back in the 1960s, Mrs. Grisell had been at the forefront of the ecumenical movement, that started with dialogue between Catholics and Protestants, but eventually broadened to include members of the Jewish community, and more recently Muslims.

"Joan was very active in establishing interfaith fellowship and dialogue," says the Rev. Jeffrey Deardorff.

He recalled how the church's activism began with Mrs. Grisell's ability to bring in special speakers, including acclaimed Lutheran scholar, Martin E. Marty.

"She was a real prayer warrior, who helped start a prayer group that continued for many years," Rev. Deardorff added, "but she also worked for issues of peace and justice."

Another colleague in the ecumenical movement, Marjorie Frisbie of Arlington Heights, recalls that Mrs. Grisell helped to bring together church leaders from different faiths to form the Arlington Heights Ecumenical Committee, which started interfaith Thanksgiving services.

"She was disguised as a sweet grandmotherly type, but she was hugely influential, and one of our town's leading lights," Frisbie says.

Mrs. Grisell passed away Feb. 25 after a long illness. The former 40-year resident of Arlington Heights, most recently of Connecticut, was 89.

Her leadership in her church was just one aspect of a life filled with accomplishment and interests.

"My mother was a multifaceted person, and that was her charm," says her daughter, Alice Grisell Brewer of Niles, Mich.

Mrs. Grisell grew up in western Pennsylvania, in a home surrounded by music. Her mother was a musician and a published poet. Consequently, Mrs. Grisell grew up with a rich appreciation of the fine arts.

She attended Ward Belmont College in Nashville, now Belmont University, where she earned awards for her piano performance as well as her horsemanship, before earning a master's degree in piano performance from Syracuse University.

However, an early job took Mrs. Grisell to Cleveland where she worked as an administrator for the Camp Fire Girls organization. In 1943, she married Thomas Grisell, and the couple and their two daughters eventually settled in Arlington Heights in 1951.

As a couple, they became involved with the Village Theater group, which mounted full scale musicals and plays. While Thomas Grisell performed on stage, his wife worked behind the scenes, painting sets and assisting with their design.

At the same time, Mrs. Grisell also taught piano in her home, and she sang in a women's a capella group that performed locally and in Chicago.

Her love of music led her to take an early role with the Community Concerts Association, which continues after 60 years to bring high quality professional entertainment to the Northwest suburbs at reasonable costs.

Besides her daughter, Mrs. Grisell is survived by seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren, as well as two nieces and two nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, who passed away in 1979, and her oldest daughter, Meredith.

Visitation will begin at 2 p.m. before a memorial service at 3 p.m. on Saturday at First Presbyterian Church, 302 N. Dunton Ave. in Arlington Heights.