Kathleen Danielson

Kathleen Marie Danielson was born March 1, 1949 in Minneapolis. She was adopted through Lutheran Social Services into the loving family of Andrew and Etta Danielson and older brother Larry at the age of three months. Kathy was baptized and confirmed at Bergen Lutheran Church. At the age of one, Kathy was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, suffering from the debilitating effects of this disease her entire life. All through her public education, she had to take time off from her schooling for corrective surgeries at Gillette Children's Hospital in St. Paul. She graduated from Montevideo High School in 1969. She busied herself doing childcare for various families until 1974 when she moved to Willmar to begin work at the Sheltered Workshop. She worked there for several years until poor health forced her to quit. She continued to live independently in Willmar in her own apartment until August of 2009 when she moved to Luther Haven Nursing Home where her mother Etta is also a resident. She enjoyed many crafts and was an avid fan of the Minnesota Twins. Her most notable activity was sending greeting cards to family and friends. Every birthday, anniversary, or holiday would bring a card from Kathy to every relative and many friends until she was no longer able to. Kathy loved her family and was very supportive of her nieces and nephews. She was also blessed to have numerous cousins who supported her through her many challenges. She loved holidays when the entire family would gather. To her nieces and nephews, she was known as ?Kathy Claus? because of her generosity. She would sacrifice her own needs to make sure lots of presents were under the tree for her nieces and nephews. On Wednesday evening, while a resident of Luther Haven Nursing Home in Montevideo, Kathy gave up her valiant earthly struggles. She was 61 years old. Cherishing her memory are her mother Etta Danielson of Montevideo, her brother and sister-in-law: Larry and Peggy Danielson of Montevideo; nieces and nephews: Layne (Helene) Danielson and their children Atlie & Etta of Brainerd; Dawn (Wayne) Viger and their children Andrew, Maddie, Daniel, Johnny & Joseph of Minnetonka; Jesse Danielson of Montevideo; Jody (Chris) Wharton & Silas of Spicer; her aunts Marjory Danielson of Montevideo, Myrtle Grace of Willmar, and Florence (Donald) Halverson of Montevideo as well as extended family. She was preceded in death by her father Andrew Danielson and many aunts, uncles and cousins. Blessed be her memory.