Dr. Marilyn Janice Grow-Maienza (Janice Grow), of River Forest, died recently. She was a dedicated professor of education, who devoted her life to the study and advancement of elementary school curriculum. A staunch believer in the transformative power of education to better one’s life, she worked tirelessly to instill this belief in others.
Born in Wichita, Kansas, in 1933, she married Antonio Maienza, and they raised three sons in River Forest, where they benefited from one of the finest public school systems.
She then embarked on her own academic journey, earning her master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Chicago in the 1970s. She taught and conducted research on the Rosebud Reservation in Mission, South Dakota; in Jakarta, Indonesia; and in Pusan, South Korea. Eventually, she joined Truman State University as a professor of Education, where she found both her professional home and her life partner, Charles Chamberlain Frost.
Dr. Grow’s research and publications were groundbreaking, focusing on adapting the Korean mathematics teaching model for elementary school students in a Western curriculum. Her work bridged cultural and educational practices.
She leaves behind her husband, Charles; her three sons, Michael (Susan), John (Gregg Wilson), and Charles “Chuck” (Jenni); her grandchildren, Meredith (mother of Emma), Michael, Cathryn, and Paul. Her great-granddaughter was a special joy in her later years.
Janice will be laid to rest where her parents, Cecil and Ruby, along with many other members of the Grow family, are buried near Hogansburg, close to Messina, New York. A celebration of her life will take place during the Grow Family Reunion on July 4th in Saratoga, New York at 1 p.m. Interment will be held at St. Patrick Cemetery, Hogansburg, New York on July 3rd at 10:30 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Maienza Family Scholarship Fund at Oak Park and River Forest High School. Go to: //DonorBox.org/legacy-of-learning-the-maienza-scholarship-fund. Established by her three sons with an endowment left in her honor, and guided by her grandchildren, this fund ensures Dr. Grow’s passion for learning continues to inspire future generations and create a lasting “Legacy of Learning.”