A formidable opponent: Diane Grinkemeyer
Blair Scanlon

Diane Grinkemeyer grew up loving the thrill of competition. Little did she know that the love she had for playing games would help her in the competition for her life.

In 1957 Diane VonDenBenken was born in Cincinnati, Ohio to Carl and Maria VonDenBenken, both immigrants from Germany. The family, including her two brothers Ron and Tom, lived in Blue Ash, Ohio where VonDenBenken began to develop her passion for athletics.

“I just naturally loved sports,” she said.

By the time she was in high school her skills were developed and she was a stand out among her peers. At Mount Notre Dame, a Division I Catholic High School in Cincinnati, VonDenBenken played varsity basketball, volleyball, softball and soccer all four years. While she was a successful athlete, she looked at the sports as more fun than anything.

“Playing is a means of meeting people and a social event,” she said. “If you do well it’s a bonus.”

Perhaps her bonus was becoming a member of the Mount Notre Dame Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005. Or maybe it is her distinction as a LaRosa’s Athlete Hall of Famer- a great honor for local Cincinnati athletes. Either way, she was definitely seeing a return of her efforts.

In 1974, VonDenBenken met her now husband, Robert Grinkemeyer and her athletic ability even played a role in this.

Grinkemeyer was dating a close friend of VonDenBenken’s and she had no intention of becoming involved with him. That is until she saved him from drowning. However, she will tell you that she did not really save his life, but just merely helped him out of the water. Nonetheless she caught his attention.

They were married four years later on September 2, 1978 and VonDenBenken traded one German name for another. Together they had two children, daughters Lisa and Krista. The four eventually moved to Delhi, a suburb of Cincinnati, and settled into family life.

Her daughter Krista developed a love for athletics early on as well. She played many sports throughout her middle school years and continued on to play basketball and softball at Seton High School. She too, was celebrated for her skills in softball receiving Honorable Mention in the 2007 Cincinnati Enquirer Division 1 Softball poll.

But she maintains that her mother never pressured her to play sports-rather she just encouraged both her and her sister to explore and find something that they enjoyed.

“She never forced any kind of advice on us but she was always there if we had a question or needed to talk to her about something,” she said. “She would always tell us something positive and just genuinely wanted us to be better athletes.”

Grinkemeyer’s passion for all things sports followed her into her adult and family life.

She joined a local bowling league and just as she had excelled in high school, she excelled in bowling. The list of all of her accomplishments throughout the years is extensive. Among her awards are- Hamilton Association Hall of Fame Bowler and second in the state of Ohio in Doubles. She has held an average of 200 for the last 10 years and has a high score of 290- a nearly perfect game.

It would seem such a distinguished athlete would be invincible. But Grinkemeyer soon found out that no one, no matter their skill level, is invincible.

In 2000, she received a devastating diagnosis. She had breast cancer and would have to undergo extensive chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

The news was a major blow but Grinkemeyer knew there was only one course of action for the formidable opponent- positivity.

“I have a strong will and I just forced myself to be positive,” she said.

While everyday was a struggle, everyday was also a victory for Grinkemeyer.

Her daughter Krista remembers that her mom did not tell her about the cancer right away.

“It was very evident that she didn’t want us to think or worry about anything that she was going through-she never wanted us to worry about her,” she said.

Grinkemeyer was determined not to let cancer interfere with her life. And just like any other game she played she would play until the last whistle blew.

“It’s an instilled thing you know, just get through everyday,” she said.
And she did- Grinkemeyer- 1 Cancer- 0.

But this was no ordinary win. Sure the stakes were much higher-life or death- but this win also warranted a priceless award.

“I’m a firm believer that good can come from something bad,” she said.

So what was the good that came from cancer, a disease that kills hundreds of thousands of people every year? It is Grinkemeyer’s ability to inspire others who were suffering like she had. It is the positivity that has only grown in her life. And it is her ability to see the good in more things now than ever before.

“I don’t worry about petty things and I live everyday like there is no tomorrow,” she said. “What is important is what is in front of me-my family and my friends.”

Today Grinkemeyer has a new pastime. You can find her on the golf course with her husband.

“I need something to do and now I have golf,” she said. “He (Robert) enjoys it so now it is something we can do together.”

Her daughter Krista maintains that her mother is a strong positive woman and that is how she was able to beat breast cancer.

“She is just a fighter, I guess you could say, and she is definitely a competitive woman and I think it was the battle of her and cancer,” she said.

But if you ask Grinkemeyer about her positive outlook and competitive nature she has a much simpler explanation.

“It’s just me,” she said.