Cecilia Minelli

Cele passed away peacefully on August 2, 2010 surrounded by love and family at N.C. Little Hospice in Edina, Minnesota.The youngest of eight children, Cele was born January 18, 1919, in Minneota, Minnesota to John and Mary Finnegan. She earned her nursing degree at St. Catherine's in St. Paul where she met and married Philip Minelli. Cele and Phil spent most of their life in Granite Falls. Cele was a nurse administrator at the Granite Falls Hospital and Phil a high school teacher, counselor and coach. Cele was a caring neighbor and generous community member. She found ways ? big and small ? to help lighten someone's load. Cele will always be remembered as an outstanding cook, known for her Thanksgiving turkeys, potitsa, and homemade cinnamon rolls. She found joy in playing Bridge and Scrabble with her family and friends and serving on the St. Andrew Parish Board. For years during retirement, she enjoyed gardening and growing raspberries, swimming, playing golf and traveling to new parts of the world.At the center of her life was her strong belief in God. Her faith helped her overcome the many challenges she faced including floods, tornados and even ovarian cancer. She drew from the teachings of Mother Theresa and served as a role model through her commitment to the sick and underprivileged. Throughout her life, Cele received awards and acknowledgements for her charity and service. Most notably, she was honored with WCCO's Good Neighbor Award and the Bishop's Award of Service. Cele is survived by her daughter, Marie (Mark) Moilanen; son Michael (Pam) Minelli; four grandchildren - Meegan (Vic) Rust, Lia Minelli, Molly (Justin Bakken) Moilanen and Michael Moilanen; two great-grandchildren - Ronald Michel and Madeline Rust; numerous nieces and nephews; and her beloved canine companion, Bambina. She was preceded in death by her seven older siblings and her husband, Phil. A special thank you to Dr. Darrell Carter and the caregivers at the Granite Falls Hospital, St. Therese Southwest and N.C. Little Hospice for their affection and dedication to Cele's comfort.In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to:St. Andrew Church / 1094 Granite St. / Granite Falls, MN / 56241 Cele Minelli, our mother and grandmother, touched many lives leaving this world brighter and richer. One of the most cherished lessons she gave to us was to have faith in God's plan. When faced with unanswerable life questions, she would simply remind us, ?The Lord only knows.?