Donnella Gwyn (Kluis) Griffin, 74, of Spring Grove, Minn., 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, Minn. 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 a.m. St. Olaf Catholic Church in Mabel, Minn.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, January 6 from 4-7 p.m. at the Spring Grove Fest Building and at 10 a.m. on January 7 at St. Olaf Catholic Church.
Donnella anad 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).
Jeanne Dolan Markell says
Donnie was that college friend you thought would ALWAYS be there. Even after long times between visits, her heart of gold and engaging personality helped pick up a lifelong friendship with grace and grit. A few of us sorority sisters have been reconnecting in our “later years” and now we share this loss. We send our deepest sympathies to Dan and the Griffin family. When the sting of grief lifts a little down the road…we hope to deliver to you some great stories and smiles about the beautiful, vivacious U of MN co-ed we were lucky to meet in the late 1960s. Donnie was the light in the lives of so many …. she would love for us to keep the light shining. 💔
Mary Mathison Karels says
We had lost touch but Donnie was a college roommate and sorority sister. Many fond memories. May good memories sustain her family and friends.