Muriel Elizabeth Kinne age 95 of New Richmond, formerly of Hammond, died peacefully Sunday, August 14, 2011 at Grace Healthcare in River Falls. Born January 30, 1916 to Margaret Smith and Step- father Tony Fletch of Emerald. She was raised by her grandparents Felix and Lena Smith. At the age of 15, she lived with her foster parents William and Celia Mahony of Emerald. With them, she was baptized and made her first communion at St. John’s Catholic Church in Glenwood City. On July 6, 1934, she married Oscar John at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Glenwood City. She would be confirmed in the Lutheran faith.

To this marriage a dear son David was born on June 16, 1937 at Glenwood City. They farmed in the Glenwood City area for a few years, before moving on Chet and Angie Nelson’s farm west of Emerald, and later purchased their own farm west of Emerald, where their son David attended the same school, Oakdale, as his mother did in her first three years of school. This marriage ended with divorce in 1952.

She worked as a waitress in several restaurants in New Richmond when she married Lyle D. Kinne on June 30, 1956. She continued to waitress, until she decided to work at the University of River Falls. A few years later, Lyle and Muriel bought the Kieth’s Café in Baldwin. Her health failed and she was forced to sell. She wasn’t improving with her health, so she went to Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma for help from the Good Lord. While there, she was in prayer morning until night, for seven days until she accepted the Lord and became a Born Again Christian. The Lord was her life and she always turned to Him for help in prayers.

“With God’s help” she really enjoyed life with her lovely

family: Son, David (Anita) John; grandchildren, Benita (Tom) Close, Randy (Regina) John, Greg (Cathy) John, Mike (Phyllis) John, Rodney John, Michelle (Bryan) Shilts, Chuck (Abby) John, Ellen (Daniel) Paulson; great-grandchildren, Jeff (Nicole) John, Melissa (Dan) Briese, Kenny (Lisa) John, Christopher Quist, William Quist, Joshua Quist, Rylee Shilts, Thomas (Paulina) John, Jessica John, Crystal Fernandez, Robert Close, Carl Close, Sarah (Ron) Albright, David (Kelsey) John, Kevin John, Travis John, Brittany Kaiser, Landon Kaiser, Jordan Kaiser, Alexa Kaiser, Cole Kaiser, Nash Paulson, Jennifer John, Gregory John, Michelle John; great great grandchildren Gabe, Jack, Savannah, Hayley, Shelby, Hope, Emma, Ella; brother, Eldon Fletch; along with several nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Muriel was preceded in death by: husband, Lyle; sisters, Florence (Kenny) Beyer, Mary Jane Schostek, and Marlene (George) Turner; brothers, Raymond and Bill Fletch; granddaughter-in- law, Christine John; great-grandson, Bryon John; mother and step-father, Margaret Smith and Tony Fletch; grandparents, Felix and Lena Smith; nephew, Butch Beyer; great-great granddaughter, Kenattie John; foster parents; aunts, Jennie Johnston and Susan Smith; brother and sister-in- law, Lawrence and Marion Peterson.

Funeral service for Muriel Kinne will be 2 p.m. Thursday, August 18 at the United Methodist Church in New Richmond, 209 East Second Street. Burial will be in the New Richmond Cemetery. Visitation will be on Wednesday from 3 until 5 p.m. at the O’Connell Family Funeral Home in Baldwin and one hour prior to the service at church on Thursday afternoon.