Donnella Gwyn (Kluis) Griffin, 74, of Spring Grove, MN passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on January 1, 2022.
Donnella was born on September 19, 1947 to Felix and Henrietta (Schuur) Kluis and grew up on a farm near Chandler, MN. She graduated from Chandler High School in 1965 and from the University of Minnesota in 1969. She married Daniel Griffin on August 8, 1970 at Chandler Reformed Church. In 1973, she and Dan moved to a farm near Spring Grove where they raised their four children. Together, she and Dan built two successful national businesses with help from talented, dedicated employees.
Friends and family will miss her calm, common-sense counsel and her joyful, gentle humor. Donnie was a gifted gardener and a wonderful cook, and enjoyed reading, riding horses with Dan, and taking long walks around the farm. She served on the Spring Grove School District Board of Education, as a parish trustee for St Olaf Catholic Church in Mabel, and as a Meals on Wheels volunteer for 35 years. She approached life with faith, confidence, and capability.
She is survived by her husband of 51 years, Daniel Griffin of Spring Grove; children Matthew and Linsey Griffin of St Paul, Philip and Kristi Griffin of Spring Grove, Nathan Griffin and fiance Lidia Blaszka of Poznan, Poland, and Angela Griffin of Minneapolis; grandsons Isaac, Caleb, and Ezra Griffin and Clement and Felix Griffin; sister Twyla Weiland and Don Armstrong; brothers Jim and Joan Kluis, Farryl and Pat Kluis, and Alan Kluis and Lynn Nessa; sisters-in-law Monica Mischler, Marie Griffin Esch, Mary Griffin, Margaret and Chris Dittrich, and Martha and Brian Theiler; cousins, nieces, and nephews; and many cherished friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; sister Audrey Kluis; and brothers-in-law Dean Weiland, Edmund Griffin, and Paul Mischler.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, January 7 at 11:00 am St Olaf Catholic Church in Mabel, MN.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, January 6 from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at the Spring Grove Fest Building and at 10:00 am on January 7 at St Olaf Catholic Church.
Donnella and her family are grateful for the wonderful community and ecumenical support following her recent cancer diagnosis.
Memorials may be directed to Semcac Senior Nutrition (www.semcac.org) or Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota (www.ccsomn.org).
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