In Memoriam: Jeffrey Lyn Grice, MD (July 28, 1967- January 19, 2024)

UPDATE

There will be a private ceremony which can be viewed from the St. Leo Church website after February 9th. There will be a celebration of life to be held at a future date for all those who knew and loved Jeffrey and would like to gather and remember the extraordinary person that Jeffrey was.

Visitation will be February 8th, 2024, from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at Bonney-Watson Federal Way, 1535 SW Dash Point Road, Federal Way, WA 98023

The family requests memorials donations in lieu of flowers be made to Saint Leo Church - www.stleoparish.org.

Additional comments and information can be found at https://obituaries.seattletimes.com/obituary/jeffrey-grice-m-d-1089349487#.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------It is with profound sorrow that I share the heartbreaking news of the passing of our dear colleague and friend, Dr. Jeffrey Grice. Having dedicated over two decades to our organization, Dr. Grice has undoubtedly left an indelible mark on all of us.

Before assuming his current role as vice president of Human Resources for the KP Medical Foundation, Dr. Grice held pivotal positions within WPMG. His visionary leadership included spearheading the creation and implementation of our vision statement: "to be the best place to give and receive care," which guides much of our strategy.

Dr. Grice's legacy extends beyond his professional accomplishments. His absence will be deeply felt by all who had the privilege of knowing him. Dr. Grice was not only a skilled professional, but a remarkable individual known for his warm heart, genuine care for people, and a relationship-centered approach. His strong faith deeply influenced how he cared for patients, bringing a meaningful spiritual aspect to the compassionate service he gave to others.

A true connector, he effortlessly built bridges between individuals and departments, forming the fabric of our WPMG community. His leadership style, rooted in genuine care for people, resonated far beyond the workplace.

As we come together as a community to provide support during this difficult time, our heartfelt sympathies are with Dr. Grice's family. In recognition of their need for privacy and time to grieve, we kindly request that you consider waiting to reach out until a more suitable moment. Your understanding and compassion are greatly appreciated.

In remembrance and celebration of Dr. Grice's incredible legacy, let us find solace in the impact he had on our organization and each of us individually.

His memory will forever be etched in our hearts.

- Linda Tolbert, MD

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This is all very sudden, and we are still processing the loss. He will be deeply missed by the entire Kaiser Permanente family, and especially by our teams in Washington and the KP Medical foundation, where his memory is shared and cherished by us all.

To those who have been lucky to spend time with Jeffrey, I hope there can be some comfort in the many stories and experiences we had together. For those of you who did not have the pleasure of getting to know him, I would like to tell you a little bit about him.

Professionally, he was a brilliant and compassionate leader, compassionate physician, and skilled surgeon who was most recently serving as vice president of human resources for the KP Medical Foundation. He has been part of the Kaiser Permanente family for 24 years bringing a passion to help teams build skills and work better together on behalf of the Washington Permanente Medical Group and The Permanente Federation. Prior, he was chief of the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and managed the Capitol Hill Medical Center in Seattle. Jeffrey’s clinical and teaching experience includes serving as faculty for The Permanente Federation’s Medicine & Management program, as a clinical instructor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, and as a clinical associate at the KPWHRI.

Personally, he was a dear friend. I was introduced to Jeffrey when he visited Southern California with the Group Health Permanente CEO and president, Michael Soman, MD. When I arrived in Washington in July of 2019, Jeffrey became a gifted and trusted mentor. I was immediately taken by his knowledge of the history and culture of the organization, his infectious energy, and positive attitude. He always carried a ready smile and willingness to help people. His passion for football and sports was evident from the sports paraphernalia he had with him at all times. He truly believed in bringing “Joy to Medicine” to our health care teams.

And he always made an effort to ensure everyone felt seen, heard, and loved. I know he would want us all to remember him in the joyful spirit of celebration and friendship.

- Paul Minardi, MD