The Honorable Sylvester Mondubue “Greg” Grigsby – A Life of Service, Integrity, and Love
Held lovingly by his wife Cleopatra and their daughters, Diana and Mayumi, the Honorable Sylvester Mondubue “Greg” Grigsby, Liberia’s Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, departed this world on August 9, 2025. At age 74, he leaves behind a family and a nation profoundly touched by his gentle strength, immense generosity, unwavering integrity, and devotion to Liberia. United in grief, yet better for the love he shared so freely.
By Cleopatra, Diana, and Mayumi Grigsby
Born October 15, 1950, in Sinoe County to Nyanabo and Numah Mondubue, he was adopted and raised lovingly by Harrison Grigsby Sr. and Diana Sylvia Grigsby (“Mama and Papa Heart”). He grew up with both biological and adopted siblings and cousins. They instilled in him discipline, loyalty, faith in God, a belief in public service, education, and devotion to family, principles he carried throughout his life.
At the College of West Africa (CWA), Sylvester was known for his brilliance, humility, and principles. As a senior monitor, he began a lifetime of mentorship. He met Cleopatra Sangay Dudley, his wife of 51 years, and forged lasting friendships, including with Joseph Nyumah Boakai, future President of Liberia. At CWA, friends called him “Greggo,” a shortened version of his last name which later became “Greg.” His lifelong passion for game shows began as a contestant on Meet the Challenge, a quiz bowl competition held in Liberia, where he impressed family and viewers alike.
Following his graduation from CWA, Sylvester attended Cuttington College & Divinity School (now Cuttington University) from 1970 to 1973, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. While at Cuttington, he excelled academically and was also active in theatrical productions. Notably, he memorably portrayed the role of The King in The King and I, a performance he would remind his family of for years.
Greg’s integrity became evident on a national stage when President William R. Tolbert selected him as Liberia’s first student representative to travel abroad. After the trip, he returned home and handed back his unspent per diem to the government. For him, public service meant stewardship, never self-enrichment.
Building on these principles, Hon. Grigsby advanced to serve Liberia in the mid-1970s as Special Assistant to the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, cultivating his hallmark work ethic. By 1979, he was appointed Deputy Minister for International Cooperation, a role created for him, and later, Assistant Minister for International Cooperation and Economic Affairs. These positions enabled him to forge regional partnerships that strengthened Liberia’s global presence.
During this time, his academic ambitions led him to Japan, where, as the first Liberian recipient of a Japanese government scholarship, he earned a Master of Science in Economics from the University of Tsukuba. With Cleopatra, he represented Liberia and opened doors for others. After returning home, they considered their second daughter a gift from Japan and gave her a Japanese name.
After adding academic credentials to his career, a shift in administration led to him entering private enterprise in 1984 as Executive Vice Chairman of Liberia Maritime & Stevedoring Company. Subsequently, as Chairman and Publisher of SUNRISE Magazine, SUNTIMES Newspaper, and SUN Newspapers, he promoted innovation, free expression, and independent journalism. He remained fiercely committed as a voice of the opposition, even as his press office faced suspected arson due to political interference.
When civil conflict engulfed Liberia, Hon. Grigsby and Cleopatra escaped, a choice only made after ensuring their children’s safety. Even while exiled from the home he loved, his heart remained tethered to public service and his people.
Despite being far from home, from 1992 to 1995 he continued his service under President Amos Sawyer, a mentor, in the Interim Government of National Unity as Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg, the European Union Commission, and the African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP) Secretariat. He developed a working knowledge of French in addition to his working knowledge of Japanese. During Liberia’s turmoil, he negotiated the restoration of Liberia’s voting rights at the ACP Secretariat. For his leadership, he received the Grand Band of the Order of the Star of Africa in 1993.
Throughout his diplomatic service, he remained committed to family, traveling across continents to be with his loved ones. He relocated ‘Papa Heart’ to Belgium and visited family spread out due to war in Liberia, in France, Germany, and the United States.
By 1998, following years of diplomatic service abroad and the challenges of displacement due to war, he and his family fully relocated to the United States. There, he continued his public service, working with the New York City Housing Authority and later with the Fairfax County Housing Authority in Virginia. For Greg, service was never about titles or borders, but about people.
His desire to contribute directly to Liberia never waned. In 2006, he returned as Superintendent of Sinoe County. There, he prioritized reconciliation and development by creating the County Development Trust Fund. His initiatives became models of sustainable local governance.
From 2009 to 2014, building on his previous work, he served as Deputy Minister for International Cooperation & Economic Integration and Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs. He oversaw the mobilization of hundreds of millions in aid and infrastructure from partners like Japan, China, India, and Brazil. Dedicated to nurturing future leaders, he began teaching at the University of Liberia.
In December 2014, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf appointed him Minister of State without Portfolio. She later praised him as “a professional politician who consistently placed country interests above personal gains.”
His legacy of public service continued into January 2024, when President Joseph Nyumah Boakai called him to serve as Minister of State for Presidential Affairs and Acting Head of Cabinet. Boakai praised him as “a pillar of integrity in public service,” crediting Greg’s steady leadership and wise counsel with helping steer the nation.
Throughout his lifetime, Hon. Grigsby was celebrated for his significant national and international contributions. His dedication to public service was recognized with numerous prestigious honors, including Liberia’s Grand Band of the Order of the Star of Africa, Haiti’s Chevalier of the National Order of Merit, and his knighthood as Commander of Liberia’s Most Venerable Order of the Pioneers. Despite these accolades, he rarely spoke of them, choosing instead to share his pride in Liberia’s progress, his yearning for honest governance, and his deep hope for the next generation.
Greg’s faith guided his life. He was a devoted member of theUnited Methodist church and active in his Houston congregation. He often traveled and slept with a Bible. He once joked with his daughter that she “had no choice but to be Methodist” when she considered changing churches.
He leaves mourning his wife of over five decades, Cleopatra Sangay (née Dudley) Grigsby; daughters Diana and Scheagbe Mayumi “Umi”; and their grandchildren. His daughters made him proud by continuing his commitment to academic excellence and public service. His Grigsby, Mondubue, and the Dudley family he married into all mourn him. He is also survived by his uncle, siblings, cousins, nieces, nephews, and a wide circle of friends and colleagues worldwide.
In honor of his commitment to education, his family has established the Sylvester Mondubue Grigsby Scholarship in his name for Liberians to attend the College of West Africa. This scholarship furthers his tradition of helping many Liberians attend school. Funeral services will be held in Houston, Texas. The visitation and wake will take place on the evening of Friday, August 29, 2025. The funeral service will be held on Saturday, August 30, 2025, followed by the committal service and repast. An official memorial service in Liberia, the country he served for 40 years will be held later this year.
From returning unspent government travel funds as a young student to leading Liberia’s diplomatic corps, from escaping war to rebuilding peace at home, Hon. Sylvester Grigsby’s life was a testament to integrity, humility, courage, and love.
Rest in eternal peace, Excellency, your legacy endures.
