Marguerite Maloney 06/23/2025

Marguerite “Rite” Maloney (née Donahue) of Erin Prairie, Wisconsin passed away peacefully on June 23, 2025 surrounded by family.

A proud daughter of Erin Prairie, she was born in St. Paul to John and Agnes (Lavelle) Donahue and raised on the family’s Wisconsin farm. She attended Dry Run, a one-room country school, where her early years were filled with music, games, school skits, and church gatherings.

As a teen, she joined 4-H, worked at the dime store during the holidays, and flipped burgers at a local café. She was crowned Homecoming Queen her senior year at New Richmond High School. Sundays after Mass were for ice cream at Erin Corners or visiting relatives—simple joys that remained dear to her all her life.

Marguerite’s Catholic faith shaped her values and daily life. She was confirmed at St. Patrick’s Church in Erin Prairie, where she also helped serve meals to visiting nuns during summer catechism. The ritual, reverence, and joy of her faith carried through her years and found expression in how she loved and raised her family.

After high school, she moved to Minneapolis, living with her grandparents while working at Grossman Chevrolet. She married Donald “Bill” Maloney in 1950, and together they began their married life in a tiny one-room efficiency with a hide-a-bed and big dreams.

By 1953, they’d bought their first home in Richfield, Minnesota, raising their growing family among young neighbors, birthday clubs, and shared pots of coffee. It was an era of communal parenting, where porches and playgrounds blurred from one family to the next.

In 1960, a job transfer brought the family to North St. Paul. They transformed the house to fit their expanding brood—which eventually reached ten children. The dining room became a bedroom, the upstairs a dormitory, and the home a hub of constant activity. Money was often tight, but Marguerite’s resourcefulness, hospitality, and pride never faltered.

Though she was a full-time mother for many years, Marguerite later waitressed at the Lakeside Supper Club, where her warmth and humor stood out. When foot surgery ended her time on her feet, she began a new chapter as an administrative assistant at the Minnesota State Legislature. There, she learned to master the electric typewriter and soon found her stride. She served for 18 years, most notably as assistant to State Representative Lee Greenfield on the Health and Human Services Committee. When she retired in 1995, the House declared May 22 “Marguerite Maloney Day” in her honor.

In 1977, Marguerite and Bill made their final family move—to a 160-acre farm in Erin Prairie. The farm offered space to grow gardens, raise animals, and fill the air with music, stories, and laughter. It became the setting of a beautiful second act, and the legacy they built there still echoes through the generations.

After Bill’s passing in 2016, Marguerite moved to The Deerfield in New Richmond. There, staff and fellow residents became an extended family. Her children are forever grateful for the love, care, and friendship she received in her final years.

We will deeply miss our Irish matriarch—her calm presence, endearing smile, and the way she made you feel like you were the most important person in the room.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, her parents, and her seven siblings. She is survived by her beloved sister-in-law, Helen Donahue, and by her ten children: Mary (Mike) Miller, John (Nancy), Rita (Mark) Kearns, Joan (KO) Paulson, Nancy (Marc) Williams, Barbara (Darren) Utech, Patrick (Denise), Ann Hinz, Michael (Michelle), and Thomas (Jihan), as well as, 31 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, and several nieces, nephews, and friends.

Visitation will be held Monday June 30, 2025, from 4-7 PM at Cullen Crea Funeral Home in New Richmond. Prayer service will be held at 7 PM following the visitation. Mass of Christian Burial will be held Tuesday July 1, 2025, 11 AM at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in New Richmond. Also visitation for one hour prior to Mass at the Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to St. Patrick Church in Erin Prairie.

Funeral live stream: https://www.youtube.com/live/Tb1M0pklR18