Virginia Ruth Griffin, 96, passed peacefully on the evening of Monday, Oct. 2, 2017, at her place of residence in St. Paul.

The former Virginia Ruth Jensen was born Aug. 12, 1921, in Moscow, to Bert and Agnes Jensen. Her childhood home was located next to the Moscow Creamery, where her father was the butter maker. She attended a rural school in Moscow through eighth grade and high school in Austin. Following graduation from the Austin High School in 1939, Virginia moved to Mankato, where she worked as a secretary.

Virginia was united in marriage to Richard J. Griffin on March 7, 1948. The couple resided across from Highland Park in Mankato, where they raised their family. Since 2007 she resided in assisted living residences, including Laurels Edge/Peak in Mankato and The Alton in Saint Paul.    

Virginia is survived by her daughters Deborah (Griffin) Rinta and Diana (Griffin) Schutter; grandchildren Lindsay and Alexandra Schutter, Andrew (Tara) Griffin, William (Alissa) Griffin, and Justin Otsea; great-grandchild, Maxwell Griffin; sisters Marceline Tedrow and Marilyn (Steve) Cook; son-in-law, Keith Otsea; daughter-in-law, Connie Griffin. 

She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard; daughter, Karen (Griffin) Otsea; son, Thomas Griffin; and son-in-law, William Schutter.

A memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Woodland Hills Funeral Chapel, which will be followed by reception and burial. Memorials may be designated to the Arthritis Foundation.