Maureen J. Santovi

Maureen Julia Santovi, age 44, of Winona MN, passed away on July 9, 2026, at Mayo Clinic Hospital – Saint Mary’s Campus in Rochester, Minnesota.

Maureen was born on October 7, 1981, at Sioux Valley Hospital, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to Denise Creapo Metzger and Daniel Santovi. During part of her younger years, she lived with her great-aunt Annie and later earned her GED at Madison Area Technical College.

At the age of 22, Maureen welcomed her daughter, Trinity, with Adam DeLong on December 17, 2003. Maureen continued her education at Chippewa Valley Technical College in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. On May 13, 2010, she earned a technical diploma as a pharmacy technician. She was recognized on the President’s List for her academic performance, earning a 3.5 grade-point average out of 4.0. Maureen began her career working as a Certified Nursing Assistant. During this time, she formed lifelong friendships with coworkers who continued to be an important part of her life. She later began working in the inpatient pharmacy at Mayo Clinic in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, at Luther Midelfort Hospital. Around 2020, she transferred to Mayo Clinic in La Crosse, Wisconsin, where she continued working in the pharmacy.

On July 2023, Maureen and Eliot Grubb held a private ceremony surrounded by friends. They later completed the paperwork for their legal marriage privately.

In 2025, Maureen became a grandmother, a role she considered one of the greatest privileges of her life. Being a grandmother became her favorite part of her life, and she loved her granddaughter with every part of her soul.

Maureen was known for being a caretaker, both professionally and personally. She frequently opened her home to people who needed food, a place to stay, emotional support, a shoulder to cry on, or simply a temporary escape. She welcomed family, friends, visitors from out of town, and people she met through local events. When she hosted gatherings, she prepared the food, made sure everyone was comfortable, and ensured that no one left with an empty stomach. Maureen enjoyed gardening, spending time outdoors, cooking, listening to music, traveling, and spending time with her friends. Her music taste covered many different genres, ranging from metal to music on the opposite end of the spectrum.

She especially enjoyed preparing meals that challenged her. She loved cooking European foods connected to her Czech heritage, experimenting with recipes from cookbooks, and modifying them to make them her own.

Maureen also had an adventurous and playful personality. She enjoyed dressing in goofy outfits and going out into public with friends. She frequently traveled, whether alone, with Eliot, or with friends. She enjoyed exploring new places, meeting people, and maintaining the friendships she formed along the way.

Maureen is survived by her husband, Eliot Grubb; her daughter, Trinity Jabas, and son-in-law, Daniel Jabas; her granddaughter, Lenorah Jabas; her stepdaughter, Andriennah LeRee Merchlewitz; her parents, Denise Creapo Metzger and Daniel Santovi; her brother, Nick Santovi; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, extended family members, and friends.

She also leaves behind her beloved pets, Azalea and Mira, and her recently adopted snake, Lucy, as well as her fur grandbabies, Bella, Oliver, and Mr. Kitty.

Maureen was preceded in death by her grandmother, Priscilla Stannard Schoeneck; her grandfathers, Joseph Creapo and Frank Santovi; and her uncle, Joseph Creapo Jr.

A celebration of Maureen’s life will be held at the Holzinger Lodge in Winona on Saturday, August 15, 2026, from 11 AM until ???.

Online condolences or memories may be left for Maureen’s family at www.watkowski-mulyck.com.