Obituary: Jeff Grinnell

Jeff Grinnell, died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Redwood City, California on March 5,  2026. He had a deep interest in poetry, music of all kinds, the visual arts, and independent films. He was  passionately concerned about social justice, peace, and the environment. He was a member of the First  Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto, California.  

Jeff grew up in Waterloo, Iowa. He attended Orange Township School. He graduated from the  University of Iowa in 1972 and received a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Iowa Writers' Workshop in  1975, specializing in poetry.  

After working at libraries in Cambridge, Massachusetts and San Francisco, California, Jeff  earned a Master of Library and Information Science degree at the University of California, Berkeley. He  then settled into a career at the Central Office of the San Mateo County (CA) Libraries, where he oversaw  selecting and cataloging the music and film collections.  

Jeff is survived by his wife, Shirley Eglington of Redwood City, CA; his brother, Joe Grinnell of  Cedar Falls, Iowa; his stepdaughters, Merin Eglington Maxwell (James) and Julie Eglington (Dan); his  grandchildren, Conor Maxwell, Josie Maxwell, and Fiona Johnson; and several nieces and nephews. Jeff  was predeceased by his brother, Jon Grinnell of Waterloo, Iowa and his late wife, Kristina Schreiner of  Waterloo, Iowa.  

For those wishing to make a donation in Jeff's memory, please consider one of his favorite charities: The American Civil Liberties Union (www.aclu.org) or Feeding America (www.feedingamerica.org).