Former Banner Associate Editor Dies

Lillian Grissen, 93, passed away in Grand Rapids, Mich., on October 31. Grissen was The Banner’s associate editor from 1982-1989, under the editorship of Rev. Andrew Kuyvenhoven. Her service came after a long career in education.

Grissen’s career did not come easily, a story she chronicled in her book A Path Through the Sea: One Woman’s Journey from Depression to Wholeness, published in 1993. Her long battle with depression forced her family’s return from the mission field and kept her from pursuing her dream of higher education until she was 37 years old. After teaching in both elementary and high school settings, she was 57 years old when appointed as assistant professor of English at Dordt College in 1979.

Grissen will also be remembered for her support of women’s ordination in the Christian Reformed Church. She edited For Such a Time as This: Twenty-Six Women of Vision and Faith Tell Their Stories, a collection of profiles of women in leadership. She also authored Firstfruits: Managing the Master’s Money.

Grissen was predeceased by her husband, Ray, and survived by four children and their spouses and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was a member of Grace CRC in Grand Rapids.