Obituary of Sheila Ann Grinnell

Middlesex, NJ - Sheila Ann (Morrissey) Grinnell, 80, of Middlesex, N.J. passed away peacefully Thursday morning March 3, 2016, surrounded by her loving family. She fought a good fight and now our angel on earth is our angel in heaven to watch over and protect us. Relatives and friends are invited to visit with the family and pay their respects, at the Middlesex Funeral Home, 528 Bound Brook Road, Middlesex, N.J. 08846 on Monday, March 7, 2016 from 2:00 to 4:00pm and from 6:00 to 9:00pm. On March 8, 2016, there will be a viewing in the funeral home from 9:00 am to 9:30a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at Our Lady of Mount Virgin Church, 600 Harris Avenue, Middlesex, N.J. 08846 at 10:00 a.m. Sheila was born on November 20, 1935, to Arthur and Margaret Morrissey. She was raised in Waltham, Massachusetts where she graduated from St. Mary's High School. Sheila worked for New England Telephone before marrying Philip Murray Grinnell. After leaving Waltham, they lived in Florida and Maryland before settling to raise their family in Middlesex, the town she loved so much. Starting as a secretary she rose to become the first female Eastern Regional Manager for Formica and was the first woman to win the prestigious Formica Golden Oval Award. She loved her part time job at ADESA New Jersey where she worked after retiring. She was a member of the Catholic Daughters Court Regina, Dunellen, N.J. and was on the Housing and Community Development Committee for Middlesex Borough. She was the matriarch and the rock of her family and always said it wasn't the quantity of time but the quality of the time that you spent with your family. After her retirement in 2002, she spent her time traveling and relaxing at her home away from home in Ortley Beach. She truly enjoyed having a house full of family and friends and always said she wouldn't have it any other way. She loved sitting on her porch, the beach and the boardwalk usually signing along to bands and making a request for her favorite song, "Sweet Caroline". She also enjoyed Bermuda where she made many local friends, and brought her friends, children and grandchildren on vacation. Family members would look forward to the vacation every year where they would sit around the pool as she taught them Mah Jong and played card games. She will be sorely missed by her family and everyone who was graced with her infectious smile. She touched the lives of many in an incredibly positive way. Sheila was the devoted mother to Col. Charles Grinnell and wife Soledad of Ortley Beach N.J., Cheryl Grinnell Tarbous and husband Richard and Lisa Ziomek and husband Joseph, both of Middlesex. She was the dear mother-in-law to Maia Makaridze-Grinnell of Middlesex, cherished grandmother to Ashley, Charles, Richard, Melissa, Sheila, Jessica, Joseph, John, Megan, Steven, Morgan and Jax and adored great-grandmother to Christian, Gage, Faith, Ayla, Preston and Levi Jr. Sheila also is survived by her dear sister-in-law Charlotte Victoria (Grinnell) and brother-in-law Paul Whalen of The Villages, FL. She is predeceased by both of her parents, her husband Philip Murray Grinnell, son Philip Arthur Grinnell, and sister Marilyn Heiser. There is a hole in the heart for all who knew her and miss her so incredibly much. In lieu of flowers the family requests that a donation be made in her name to either The Kortney Rose Foundation (Foundation that benefits Pediatric Brain Tumor Research) 41 Summerfield Avenue, Oceanport, NJ 07757 (thekortneyrosefoundation.org) or Heartworks Foundation (random acts of kindness org), 19 Morristown Road, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920 (njheartworks.org)