Warren County is mourning the passing of our former Director of Health Services, Joan Grishkot, who died on Thursday.
Joan, a registered nurse, was the first director of Health Services for Warren County, and worked full-time as Director of Health Services from July 1966 to October 1997. After retiring, she continued to work on a part-time basis for the department.
Joan hired many of the dedicated staff members who help oversee the office today, including Director Ginelle Jones and Assistant Directors Patricia Belden and Val Whisenant.
Joan helped innumerable local health care and human services agencies and organizations over the years, such as Greater Adirondack Home Health Aides, where she currently served as president, and WAIT House, Inter-Lakes Health, Warren-Washington Counties Community Services and Fort Hudson Health Systems.
She frequently kept in touch with her friends at Warren County Health Services, and provided advice and guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic. She bought lunch for the whole Health Services crew at one point during the pandemic.
“Joan was a leader in public health and a pioneer here in Warren County,” Ginelle Jones said. “She truly built the public health infrastructure in Warren County. Joan retired from her director job but never retired from helping others. She did so much and was still involved with many organizations. We are so grateful for all she has done for Public Health. We will greatly miss her leadership and knowledge. Our thoughts and prayers are with her friends and family.”
Joan and her late husband Walter Grishkot also co-founded Adirondack Balloon Festival.
“Joan was an incredible advocate for our entire community, always welcoming and full of energy, and we are a better community because of all of Joan’s efforts,” said Rachel Seeber, Chairwoman of the Warren County Board of Supervisors. “The world needs more Joan Grishkots.”