FLYNN, Kathleen M., age 94

Died: Monday, August 29th, 2016

Mass of Christian Burial: 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 31, 2016 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church with Father Donald Meuret officiating

Visitation: family will receive friends one hour prior to Mass at the church

Interment: Lakeview Cemetery, Eau Claire, Wisconsin

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made in her name to Immaculate Conception School or to St. Joseph's Hospice in Chippewa Falls.

Kathleen Flynn, age 94, died on Monday, August 29, 2016 in the home she loved. She was a true matriarch, beloved mother and extraordinary grandmother and will be forever remembered for her amazing strength, courage, generosity and kindness.

Kathleen Mary Grow was born on November 17, 1921 to the late Lawrence and Elsie (Grosvenor) Grow in Greenbush Township, MN. She grew up in Anoka, MN and attended the University of Saint Catherine in Saint Paul before accepting a job with General Casualty Insurance. In 1942, she moved to Eau Claire for a job with the same company and later met a handsome Irishman named Thomas Andrew Flynn.

On June 12, 1944, Tom and Kathleen were married and set about farming, first in Town of Union and then in Pleasant Valley Township, where they remained until Tom's death in 1967. Along the way, they had 10 children - eight daughters and two sons. For more than 40 years, she was affectionately known as G.K., which was short of Grandma Katie.

She was a gifted seamstress; a skill she learned from her mother. She also loved flowers and believed that her beautiful garden was one of her best prayers. Kathleen was a devoted member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Eau Claire and worked for many years as the school's secretary.

Kathleen is survived by nine of her children, Mary Flynn (Jim Saari) of Honolulu, HI, Rita Dunlap of Medford, OR, Joan Flynn of Roseville, MN, Susan (Jeff) Thiess of Eau Claire, Carol (Robert) Lowe of Brillion, WI, Janet Flynn (Greg Tiedt) of Reedsburg, WI, Thomas (Linda) Flynn of Summerville, SC, Karen (Brian) Schulner of Fall Creek, WI, and Annemarie (Jeff) Howe of Cary, IL. She is also survived by 19 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren, all of whom believed she was the world's best grandmother; along with many other family members.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas, and infant son, Peter John.