Tiffany (Otto) Cragin, 35, passed away Saturday morning Aug. 2, 2014, after many years of heroically battling a rare cancer. Tiffany was born 3/2/1979 to parents, Darrell and Janet Otto, in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, the oldest of three children-brother, David Otto and sister, Shannon (Sylvester).

Tiffany grew up happily in Milltown, Wisconsin and earned a Bachelor of Science degree at St. Cloud State University, majoring in biomedical science. Continuing her education, Tiffany earned a Master's Degree in Enology at Fresno State.

Professionally, Tiffany served in the drug development, wine science, and medical research industries, excelling in each of those arenas, earning a reputation for steadfast professionalism, love of learning and commitment to excellence.

Despite Tiffany's professional successes, clearly, her deepest devotion was to her loving husband, Allen, to whom she was wed, July 8, 2006, and their precious daughters, Ayla and Velia, both of whom share their mother's unquenchable love for life, gentle-heartedness, humor and an unapologetic thread of irresistible naughtiness. Tiffany lives on in them, despite their present inability to recognize the depth of this truth.

In addition to family previously named, Tiffany is survived by a large, extended family, loving and supportive of Tiffany during her life and after, including many aunts, uncles, cousins and paternal grandmother, Joan Otto.

Among the innumerable evidence of Tiffany's positive impact on Planet Earth is the sea of friends, now broken-hearted, but never broken-spirited, as so thoroughly exemplified by Tiffany herself, not only in her battle against cancer, but in her battle to maintain her unique spirit of emotional generosity, empathy and mental courage. It is the sincere wish of those who knew Tiffany's deepest dreams that those surviving her would live lives filled with grace for themselves and one another, respect for the planet and for people different than themselves, and a fearless appreciation for the brevity of our shared time together, here and now.

There will be two services-Celebrations of Life:

Wednesday, August 13, 6:00-9:00 pm, in the Great Hall of the Historic Union Depot, 506 West Michigan Street, Duluth, MN

Saturday, August 16, 1:00-4:00 pm, Crickets Bar & Grill: 1361 100th St, County Road H, Amery, WI

Donations may be made in Tiffany's name to the Chordoma Foundation:http://www.chordomafoundation.org