Loretta E. (Kelly) Gavin

Gavin, Loretta E., age 100, of St Paul.

Born Sept 13, 1920, in Minneapolis to parents John C and Clara Kelly. Preceded in death by beloved husband of 51 years Richard P. "Dick" Gavin, sister Patricia McGrade, and grandson Joey Kaiser.

Loretta is survived by her brothers Jim Kelly (Betty) of Merrifield, Mn., Mike Kelly (Helen) of Tomah, Wi., her sister-in-law Rosemary Gavin of White Bear Lake (Don), her daughter-in-law Rosie Buron Gavin, and by all 14 of her children: Tim (Nancy), Rick (Mary), Darcy Mach (Larry), Mike (Karen), Mary Pat Saunders (Fred), Lori Juchno (Art), Sue, Dan (Janice), Tom (Sara), Peg St Clair (Lee), Greg (Monica), Richard (Linette), Molly Kaiser and Missy, as well as by 30 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren and many, many nieces and nephews from the Gavin, Kelly and McGrade families.

Loretta was a wonderful mother and an amazing woman. She graduated from Holy Angels Academy in Minneapolis and earned a B.A. degree from the College of St Catherine. While portraying Portia in a Shakespeare production at St Kate’s, she met Dick, a “Tommie" who would become her lifelong love. When her acting skills led to winning a local talent contest, she was flown to Hollywood but turned down an offer to become a contract actress with a major movie studio, saying she felt such a life was "too artificial." After teaching high school English in Paynesville Mn, she and Dick married in 1945. Dick had been serving as a Navy pilot the last years of WW II. After the war, they returned to Minneapolis where they began raising their 14 children. In 1960 they bought what became the Gavin family home in St Mark's parish in St Paul.  After family, nothing was more important to Loretta than her Catholic faith. She served as a sacristan and lay communion distributor at St Mark's and attended daily mass there for many years until her health finally kept her from doing so. Her children attended Catholic grade school, high school, and most through college. 

Loretta's life will be celebrated with a funeral Mass at St Mark's, 2001 Dayton Ave, on Friday July 30 at 10:00 am with visitation at the Church starting at 9:00. Burial at Resurrection Cemetery will follow.

Memorials preferred to Our Lady of Peace Hospice in St Paul where Loretta received extraordinary care during the last months of her life. The family plans a separate donation to St Mark's as a memorial to Loretta’s long term involvement with the parish.