Update: Maureen Grant remembered by campus community

Maureen Grant, a valued, veteran employee of UW Libraries, is being remembered as a talented colleague.

Grant was identified Thursday afternoon as the victim of Wednesday’s fatal University Avenue accident involving a Madison Metro bus.

According to Madison Police, the incident occurred at about 8:54 a.m. Wednesday, when Grant was walking across University Avenue. She was in the crosswalk with a walk light when she was struck by a bus turning westbound onto University Avenue from Lake Street.

On Thursday, friends created a makeshift memorial to Grant at the intersection, placing flower bouquets on the northwest corner.

Richard Reeb, associate director for the library’s Central Technical Services, says Grant was a great conversationalist and a skilled and valuable co-worker.

Grant was a staff member in the Acquisitions Department at Memorial Library, carrying the title of senior information processing consultant.

Jackie Crinion, Acquisitions Department head, described Grant’s  significant role in the department.

“Maureen had an incredible knowledge of the serials acquisitions business, managing the ordering and fiscal information associated with the thousands of electronic and print journals that are made available to the university community” Crinion says. “Her greatest strength was in troubleshooting problems and dealing with the technical intricacies of her work.”

She had worked at the university since January 1984, serving in many different parts of the library system including College Library and Circulation, as well as different roles in technical services.

“She was a great employee,” Reeb says. “There are employees that you have that you treasure, and Maureen was one of them.”

Another colleague, Leah Verfuerth, says Grant “had the rare ability to connect with everyone she met.”

She adds: “Her vibrant personality and sincere interest in those around her could draw out even the most reserved people.”

Zentner-Beal Funeral Home of New Glarus is handling Grant’s funeral arrangements and more information about services is here.

Reeb says that her death was an extreme shock and that her co-workers as well as library and vendor colleagues around the state and beyond are still coming to terms with the news.

Staff from the Employee Assistance Program and University Health Services have been responding to Grant’s death since Wednesday afternoon.

If you are a student in need of counseling or crisis support as a result of this event or any other situation, call University Health Services Counseling and Consultation Services at (608) 265-5600 or drop-in between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. If you need immediate assistance after hours or on weekends, please call the UHS Crisis Line at (608) 265-5600, option 9.

For more information, visit this website.

To view information about coping with critical incident stress, download a PDF from UHS here.