Gretchen M. McDonald

Gretchen Mary Austin was born August 6, 1923, in Fargo, ND, to Orville and Gertrude (Simonitch) Austin. She was raised in East Grand Forks, MN, and Moorhead, MN.
Gretchen began her education in the St. Joseph Catholic Church school system and later graduated from Moorhead High School. She was united in marriage to John C. McDonald, in Moorhead, on April 22, 1946.
They made their home in Moorhead before moving to Ortonville, MN, where John was working. They lived there for a time before they returned to Moorhead.
Gretchen died Thursday, August 6, 2009, in Innovis Health, Fargo, on her eighty-sixth birthday.
Gretchen is survived by her husband of over sixty-three years, John C. McDonald Sr., Moorhead; their nine children, John C. McDonald Jr., Park Rapids, MN, James (Janet) McDonald, St. Cloud, MN, Barbara Garramone, Moorhead, Kay (Howard) Lohman, Bloomington, MN, Michael (Debra) McDonald, Fargo, Maureen McDonald-Hins, Fargo, George (Lynette) McDonald, Bismarck, ND, Mary Jo Lien, Bloomington, and Paul McDonald, Morris, MN; twenty-three grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; one brother, John (Louise) Austin, Alamogordo, NM; and one sister, Angie (Art) Cossette, Utah.
She was preceded in death by her three brothers, Orville, George and Louie; and one sister, Barbara.
Visitation for Gretchen will be Monday, August 10, 2009, from 6 - 7:30 PM, with a prayer service and rosary at 7:30 PM.
Her funeral mass will be Tuesday, August 11, 2009, at 10:30 AM, in St. Joseph Catholic Church, Moorhead
Burial will follow in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, Moorhead