Obituaries

Oct 13, 2021

Passed away peacefully on October 13, 2021 at the age of 76. Preceded in death by parents, Al and Selma. Survived by his wife of fifty years, Deborah; children, Amy (Andy) Czech, Dylan Cooper, and Madeline (Kent) Riggs; grandchildren, Cooper and Ivy Czech, and Graham and Owen Riggs; brothers, David (Yvonne) Cooper and Martin (Kim) Cooper; his sweet puppy,...

Oct 12, 2021

Debra Marie (Manidoo Ikwe) Smith, 65, of Duluth, died Tuesday October 12th at Essentia Health St. Mary’s Medical Center with her husband Ed Smith by her side. She died of complications due to COVID-19. She was born November 9th, 1955 to Leonard Wayne and Ilene Jean (Gurno) Compton.

Deb and Ed were high school sweethearts. They married...

Oct 10, 2021

Deacon Frederick C. Wright, 71, of Silver Bay, died Sunday, October 10, 2021, at Benedictine Health Center with his wife by his side. He was born in Duluth, Minnesota, on May 6, 1950, to John and Margaret (Burke) Wright and was the eldest of ten children. Fred graduated Duluth Cathedral High School in 1968 and enlisted in the US Navy shortly...

Oct 6, 2021

Kathy M. Bakke 73, of Duluth, died, Wednesday, Oct. 6th at St. Luke’s after a courageous battle with numerous issues, with her family by her side.  Kathy was born Jan. 1, 1948 in Duluth to Eino and Angeline “Angie” Hill.  She graduated from Duluth Central High School.  She met, Don Bakke, street racing on Superior St. and they were...

Oct 5, 2021

Anna (Dunne) Bjork, formerly of Duluth, Minnesota, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, October 5, 2021 at the age of 89, one month shy of her 90 th Birthday, at the North Shore Living Care Center in Grand Marais, Minnesota. In her grandparent’s home in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, Anna was born November 22, 1931 to James and Anna Dunne and...

Oct 4, 2021

William R. Kovala, 91 of Duluth, passed away on Monday, October 4, 2021, at St. Luke’s Hospital. He was born in Eveleth, MN on December 24, 1929, to Richard and Lydia Kovala. Bill was a member of the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Lions Club and Curling Club. Some of Bill’s hobbies included curling, golfing, playing pool and...

Oct 4, 2021

Danny, 58 was born to Kenny and Lorraine Gitar on July 4, 1963 and passed away Oct. 4, 2021. Danny was a kind, friendly, happy man who enjoyed life with a great smile and sense of humor he shared with all he met. Some of his greatest loves were looking at magazines, playing catch, bowling, shredding, car rides, eating...

Oct 4, 2021

Ray E. Ruoho, age 79, passed away on October 4, 2021, in Duluth, Minnesota.  Ray was born on May 22, 1942, in Little Fork, Minnesota, to Eino Joseph Ruoho and Elma Marie Lammi Ruoho.  He attended Orr High School and Virginia Junior College.  He studied Electronics at Dunwoody Industrial Institute in Minneapolis and received his Bachelor’s degree in Education...

Oct 3, 2021

Passed away on October 3, 2021. Obituary pending.

Oct 1, 2021

Winna Fae Serene Nisswandt passed away October 1, 2021, at Essentia-St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth, Minnesota after a brief illness.

Winna Fae was born on September 21, 1930, in Minneapolis, MN, to Esther and Leonard Ingebrigtsen. She was the youngest of four children. Although she grew up during the Great Depression, Winna Fae would often say...

Sep 30, 2021

Rodger Alan Richards, 72, of Duluth, passed away on Thursday September 30, 2021, in St. Luke’s Hospital. He was born in Omaha, NE on December 4, 1948 to Philip and Jean Richards.  Rodger married Lorraine Holt on November 5, 1978, in Duluth, MN. He had worked at the TCF Bank Branch on the UMD campus until retirement. Rodger was a member...

Sep 27, 2021

Robert (Bob) J. Boisjoli, 93, of Duluth, passed away September 27, 2021 at home.  Bob was born March 3, 1928, in Duluth to Archie and Sylvia Boisjoli.

He went to St Michael's School, graduated from Cathedral 1945, and attended UMD.  He served in the Army Air Corp. Bob married Mary Louise Beaudry on October 12, 1951, in...

Sep 27, 2021

Nick Wurzel, 53, died September 27, 2021, in Middleton, WI. He was born August 24, 1968, to Jacob and Florence (“Billie”) Wurzel in Duluth, MN.

Nick graduated from Duluth East High School, class of 1986.  Following high school, he attended Lawrence University in Appleton, WI, and began his work in the theater industry. He traveled the country...

Sep 25, 2021

Jerome (Jerry) C. O’Donnell, 88, of Duluth, died Saturday, September 25, 2021 at his home after fighting with Asbestosis for many years.  Jerry was born in Duluth May 10, 1933 to Ralph and Mary (Nacey) O’Donnell, graduated from Cathedral High School in 1951 and was an Army Veteran of the Korean War as a Corporal in special services.

Sep 25, 2021

Lori Ann Carter, 56, of Duluth, died Saturday, September 25, 2021 at home.  She was born January 17, 1965 in Minneapolis to Robert Dwayne and Elizabeth Madeline (Johnson) Carter.

Lori was preceded in death by her parents, and her brother Steve.  She is survived by her children:  Samuel Tellinghuisen, Faith Strange, Saari Tellinghuisen and Clarice Dufault, all...

Sep 25, 2021

Donald John Leslie, 95, completed his journey home on September 25, 2021. Don was born April 21, 1926, in Duluth, MN to Reinhardt and Florence Leslie. He graduated from Duluth Central H.S. in 1944. Immediately after graduation, Don joined the U.S. Navy and served in the South Pacific as a Seabee in WWII. He served his country with honor...

Sep 17, 2021

Corinne Yvonne Hood was born September 11th, 1942 in Duluth, Minnesota to Herbert A and Mary C. (Hoolihan) Beaudry and passed away unexpectedly while surrounded by family on September 17th, 2021 at the age of 79.

Corinne attended Holy Rosary grade school and graduated from Stanbrook Hall High School affiliated with the College of St. Scholastica, in...

Sep 16, 2021

Margie Wanda Tarnowski of Duluth, MN died on September 16, 2021 at the Benedictine Health Care Center in Duluth.

Margie was born August 21, 1924 to Alex and Wanda (Lukeszewski/Lucas) Tarnowski. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters Alice Cook, Colorado Springs, CO; Betty Tarnowski of Edina, MN; Sr. Eustacia Tarnowski, O.S.B.

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Sep 16, 2021

James “Jim” William Chinn, 66, of Duluth, passed away on Thursday September 16, 2021, as the result of a motorcycle accident. He was born in Duluth on March 17, 1955. He was retired from Essentia Health and enjoyed riding motorcycles, fishing, and photographing nature. Jim was preceded in death by his parents Victor Sing Chinn and Lillian Horvath. Jim is...

Sep 15, 2021

Louis V. Somrock, 87, of Duluth. passed away Wednesday, September 15, 2021 at St. Luke’s Hospital.  Lou was born May 19, 1934 in Duluth to Louis and Frances (Wilson) Somrock.  He attended Duluth schools graduating from Denfeld High School in 1952.  He spent two years in the Minnesota Air National Guard (1955-1957).  Lou married the love of his life...