Dorothe Marie Grand, a retired Army Corps of Engineers employee and animal rights advocate, died Tuesday of heart failure at Mariner Health of Catonsville. She was 84.

She retired about 20 years ago from the Baltimore office of the corps, where she worked with a collection of books about World War II and the Pacific Theater.

Friends did not know where she was born. Miss Grand attended Our Lady of Mercy Academy in Syosset, N.Y., and other New York schools.

She lived most of her adult life in the 3100 block of St. Paul St.

"She was always picking up stray animals, mostly cats," said Baltimore attorney Louise Keelty. "And she watched out for the people who found these animals, too. She was known as the Cat Lady of Baltimore. She never turned her back on an animal in need - or person who needed some help."

Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at New Cathedral Cemetery, 4300 Old Frederick Road.

Miss Grand leaves no immediate survivors.