Agnes M. Griffin — Rochester

The Mass of Christian Burial for Agnes M. Griffin, 95, of rural Rochester, will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday (Jan. 4, 2014) at St. Bridgets Catholic Church in Simpson, Minn. with the Rev. John Wilmot officiating. Burial will follow at the church cemetery. Mrs. Griffin died on Monday (Dec, 30, 2013) of natural causes at the Stewartville Care Center, where she had been a resident for the past two weeks.

Agnes Mary Griffin was born on April 3, 1918 in Rochester to Thomas and Mary Frances (O'Mahoney) Halloran. She grew up on the family farm in rural Chatfield and attended Chatfield schools. At the age of 16, she moved with her family to live in rural Stewartville and graduated from Stewartville High School in 1935. Agnes was married on Oct. 27, 1941, at St. Bridgets Catholic Church to Walter William Griffin. Following their marriage, the couple lived in rural Simpson where they farmed, raised their family and have continued to make their home for their 72 years of marriage. Mrs. Griffin was a farm wife and homemaker and also was employed as a unit assistant at Saint Marys Hospital in Rochester for 20 years until her retirement. Mr. Griffin has been a lifelong farmer. Mrs. Griffin was a longtime member of St. Bridgets Catholic Church where she played the organ for many years and was active in it's Altar Society, CCW and Ladies circles. Agnes and Walter enjoyed dancing in their early married years and always have enjoyed playing cards in a neighborhood card club, St. Elizabeths card group at their church and at the Stewartville Senior's card afternoons. Agnes also enjoyed flower and vegetable gardening, canning, photography, bird watching and feeding and time spent with her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Agnes is survived by her husband, Walter; four daughters and three sons, Kathleen(Al) Walczak, of Valrico,Fla., Mary Frances (John) Gillich, of Stewartville, Sheila Griffin, of rural Rochester, Patrick(Bridget) Griffin, of Rochester, Daniel (Faye), of rural Rochester, Timothy Griffin, of Minneapolis, Minn. and Roseann (Charles) Melby, of Rochester; 13 grandchildren; 20 great- grandchildren; and her sister, Eileen Rick, of Bellingham, Wash. She was preceded in death by her parents; her son, William; two sisters and two brothers.

Friends may call from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday (Jan. 3, 2014) at St. Bridgets Catholic Church in the fellowship hall and an hour prior to the service on Saturday morning at the church.

Arrangements are with Griffin-Gray Funeral Home in Stewartville. griffin-gray.com.