CLINTON — Sister Rose Griffin, a former educator and pastoral minister, died Oct. 2 at The Alverno. She was 92.
She was born Nov. 11, 1925, in Bird Island, Minn., the daughter of Gerald Francis and Magdalene (Schwiderski) Griffin. She was baptized Rosalia Theresa. She attended schools in Iowa and Illinois before entering the Sisters of St. Francis at Mount St. Clare Convent in Clinton on Sept. 8, 1944. She received the name Mary Frances Cabrini at her reception on June 18, 1945.
She later resumed use of her baptismal name and was known as Sr. Rose. She made her first profession Aug. 12, 1947, and perpetual profession Aug. 12, 1950. Sr. Griffin earned a BA in history from St. Ambrose College in Davenport and an MA and a Ph.D. in modern European history from St. Louis University in St. Louis, Mo. She was certified as a teacher and as a pastoral minister.
Sr. Griffin began her elementary teaching career at St. Patrick School in Clinton and taught in Chicago and in Maysville, Ky. She was a high school English and history teacher in parochial schools in Danbury, Iowa, and Lexington, Neb. After receiving her doctorate, she taught history at Mount St. Clare College in Clinton.
Her service as a pastoral minister began in Kansas City, Mo. Later, she became the first pastoral minister at The Alverno Health Care Facility in Clinton. She ministered in this capacity for eight years. In 1985, Sr. Griffin moved to San Jacinto, Calif., where she served at Holy Rosary Academy as an assistant principal and librarian. She then served at Holy Rosary Academy in San Bernardino, Calif.
In 2002 she retired to The Canticle and moved to The Alverno in 2013.
Her funeral was celebrated Oct. 6 at The Canticle. Burial was at St. Irenaeus Calvary Cemetery.
