Madonna (Donna) Grady

Donna, beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, and great-grandmother, went home to Jesus on December 17, 2022 after a long, valiant battle with dementia. Through it all, she remained cheerful and friendly (except for some empty threats when she lost her drivers license!).

Donna was born to Earl and Hildegard Walsh on August 21, 1933 in St Paul, MN. She was the 2nd of their 7 children. Though born 5 weeks early, she was generous from birth. When her parents were finally able to bring her home from the hospital, they learned that she would be sorely missed - not because she was a “good baby”, but because the milk Hildegard pumped was feeding several babies!

On June 26, 1954, she married her lifelong love, Robert (Bud) Grady and they remained married for for 55 years, til his death in 2009. One blessing of her dementia is that Bud was usually on a business trip and would be home soon.

Her adventurous spirit was obvious as she and Bud immediately moved to Baton Rouge, LA and began populating the world with mischievous kids — Jim (Jane) Grady, Mary (Dan) Bostrom, John (Jennifer) Grady, Casey (Andrew Christie) Grady, George Grady, and Steve Grady. Her great delight was laughing at their antics. And each kid is still convinced he/she was her favorite.

She and Bud also loved traveling and moved frequently - Summit, New Jersey; Athens, Greece; Thessaloniki, Greece; Sutton, England; Wassenaar, the Netherlands; Westport, Connecticut; Houston, Texas; Prescott, Wisconsin (where her infatuation with Brett Favre caused her to abandon the one true team, the Vikings); and finally, back to Rosemount, Minnesota.

She was a brave, loving, fierce mom. Bud and Donna moved to Greece when Donna was 8 months pregnant with their 5th child. Also in Greece, she went to the market one day and came home with a pet donkey. Though she was afraid of cats and any animal smaller than a cat, when the kids convinced her that moving to the Netherlands was heartbreaking, she agreed to let EACH CHILD choose a small pet and the house was soon filled with Guinea pigs, hamsters (including 8 babies who were mysteriously born to 2 males), and birds. In later years, as the kids grew more adept at tomfoolery (expertly coached by the example of uncles Tom and Greg), the kids would sneak in ferrets, ducks, and possibly a cat. And she was always feeding someone. Often with cookies. Or hot dish.

She never met a stranger, so real estate was a natural for her during their 17 years in the Houston area. Upon “retiring” to Wisconsin, she started an antiques business that gave them an excuse to travel around looking for treasures.

She took great joy in her kids and grandkids and loved babies and the elderly. She is survived by 11 grandchildren - Beth (Curtis) Partin, Greg (Sarah) Bostrom, Robert Grady, Patrick Grady, Emily (Tim) Puchner, Nicole (Daniel) Rodriguez, Michael (Kùi) Grady, George (Kendall) Grady, Robson (Molly) Christie, James Christie, Jack Grady and 6 great grandchildren: Marlee, Finley, and Adelaine Partin and Sawyer, Theodore, and Noah Bostrom.

And she wouldn’t be who she was without her close knit brothers and sisters and entire extended Walsh family. She was preceded in death by siblings Jack Walsh, Darlene (Ray) O’Shaughnessy, and Michael (Jane) Walsh, and survived by Tom (Jeanette) Walsh, Maureen (Mike) Hessler and Greg Walsh.

We are all going to miss her laugh and her smile.

Memorials preferred to YOUR favorite charity - especially if it benefits kids or old folks.

Funeral mass at St. Nicholas Church in Elko New Market, MN at 11 am on Friday March 10. Visitation before the mass starting at 10 am and lunch following the mass. Her oldest great-granddaughter, Marlee, requests you wear happy colors because Grandma wouldn’t want you to be sad.

Send to someone

Share this obituary with others

https://everloved.com/life-of/madonna-grady/obituary/

Copy