Beatrice (Koski) Hiben, 87, of New Brighton, MN went to be with the Lord on August 27, 2015. She was born in Ely, MN on October 27, 1927 to John and Bertha Koski.A graduate of Ely Memorial High School, she earned her bachelors degree from UMD and went on to graduate studies in South Carolina. In 1956, she married Milan Hiben in Ely. Her father John passed that same year, with her mother Bertha later marrying Eino Starkman.
Bea served as a missionary in Japan and teacher in the Twin Cities. She loved all things Finnish, baking, playing Scrabble and teaching children. She remained active in her church throughout her life. Preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Milan; sister, Betty Cherne; granddaughter, Misty Petschl and great granddaughter, Jazmine Petschl.
Survived by her brother, Harry (Sandy) Koski; sister, Nancy (David) Dilley; brother-in-law Stan Cherne; son, Bob Hiben (Lisa); daughter, Rachel (Robert) Thomas; grandchildren: Megan (Dustin) Hoffstrom, Joey Hiben, Jennifer (Dennis) Ostrander, Jeff Petschl, and great grandchildren: Spencer, Hailey, Olivia and Penelope along with many other beloved relatives and close friends.
A Memorial Service will be held Sunday, October 4, at 1 p.m. at Oak Hill Baptist Church, 4141 University Ave. NE, Columbia Heights, MN 55421. Memorials preferred to Oak Hill or Alzheimer’s Association of MN-ND, 7900 West 78th Street, Suite 100, Edina, MN 55439.

Darrol John Ahlfs, 85, of Ely, passed away on Monday, September 21, 2015 on the farm that he loved. He was born October 7, 1929 in Henning, MN to John and Viola (Hanson) Ahlfs.
Darrol was a military veteran serving in the United States Navy as an aviation machinist mate and an airplane engine mechanic from November 1950 until 1954.
After his service time he received additional technical training as an automotive and diesel mechanic to eventually be employed by Reserve Mining Company. During that employment he met and married the love of his life and raised a family in the Ely area, eventually retiring from Reserve.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife Rose Marie (Preblich) Ahlfs and his parents.
Survivors include three sons: Richard (Vernie) Ahlfs of Crandon, WI, John Ahlfs of Hopkins, MN and Peter Ahlfs of Blaine, MN; eight grandchildren and nine great grandchildren; two sisters: Darlene Smith and Donna (George) Crouch and brother –Russel Ahlfs; and several nieces and nephews.
Services will be held on Friday, Sept. 25, 2015 at 1 p.m. at Kerntz Funeral Home.
Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Frances Marie (Prosen) Shepel, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother left this world on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2015 with her loving family at her bedside.
Fran was a lifelong resident of Ely and member of St. Anthony’s Parish. She was born on April 5, 1922 to Frank and Mary (Skerbenc) Prosen in Ely and was married at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church on June 28, 1941.
Fran was preceded in death by her husband Frank in 2002 after 62 years of a loving marriage; her parents Frank and Mary, sister Mary (Dick) Sustercich and brother Frank (Sinky) Prosen.
Fran will be greatly missed by her children: Barbara (Ron) Omerza of Ely, MN; Larry (Mary Ann) Shepel of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; Janice (Jerry) Skala of Iron, MN and Franklin (Joan) Shepel of Casa Grande, AZ. She is also survived by her seven grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.
Fran enjoyed all things Slovenian including supporting the Ely Slovenian Choir directed by her husband Frank, making poticas and strudels and passing that heritage onto the family. Their cabin and friends at Eagles Nest Lake were also much beloved.
Funeral Mass will be held on Monday, Sept. 28 at 11 a.m. with visitation one hour earlier at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Ely.
Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Gerald “Jerry” M. Poshak, 80, life long resident of Ely, passed away at his home Friday, September 25, 2015 with family at his side. Jerry was born July 31, 1935 to Joseph M. and Effie (Sund) Poshak of Ely.
In 1953, due to birth defects, Jerry underwent experimental heart surgery with Dr. C. Walton Lillehi and Dr. Owen Wagensteen. The surgery saved his life, but he continued a life-long battle due to birth defects. He graduated from Ely High School and Ely Jr. College. He worked and was retired from USFS Job Corps.
He then operated Jerry’s Westside Standard. In 1976 he established Our Own Hardware and later transitioned this to Hardware Hank and Ben Franklin of Ely for 39 years. He underwent another open heart surgery in 2001.
Jerry enjoyed hunting, fishing and working with his boys, Jay and Marc. With family he traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and some foreign countries. He loved to spend time at his cabins on Lake Vermilion.
He is survived by his wife Linda of 42 years, sons Jay and Marc, and faithful companion Hank, his black lab. Brother-in-laws: Lloyd (Mary) Gustafson, Lee Gustafson, niece Lynn (David) Schwob and nephew Mike (Susan) Gustafson and children; cousins: Elinor and Kathy Johnson, Susan and Matthew Erzar and Kristen (Nate) Anderson and children. He was preceded in death by parents Joseph and Effie, and infant brother Raymond, and several aunts uncles and cousins.
A memorial Service will be held Wednesday September 30, 11 a.m. at St Anthony’s Catholic Church, Ely. Visitation one hour prior. Arrangements are with Kerntz Funeral Home, Ely. To sign the online guest book or to send condolences, please visit www.kerntzfuneralhome.com

Emery S. Bulinski, 93, died peacefully at the Ely Bloomenson Hospital on Sunday, September 27, 2015, in the presence of his loving family, while the surrounding Northwoods were illuminated with the glow of the rare harvest supermoon.
Born in Chicago in 1922, he grew up on Diversey Avenue and helped support his family during the depression by selling newspapers and shining shoes on the Gold Coast. His passion for sports led him to hop the fence at Wrigley Field to watch the Cubs play. He attended Lane Tech High School, where he graduated “shortest” in his class and learned to operate a lathe, initiating a life-long love of machining and later led to his position as a precision machinist at Seren Tool Works and his work on the first US rocket nose cone to successfully re-enter the earth’s atmosphere without burning up.
After enlisting in the army, he served as a mess sergeant in the South Pacific where he continued to support his family back home by selling “hooch” made on a crude still and jewelry fashioned out of coral. After WWII ended, he returned to Chicago where he met Dolores, the love of his life and wife of 67 years. Always the consummate entrepreneur, he and his war buddies introduced radio-transmitted taxis into the Chicago cab market under the name Flash Cab Company. But the lure of the Northwoods ultimately led him and Dolores to leave Chicago in 1956, when they purchased Snowbank Lodge, the first of a number of businesses they developed in the Ely area. Emery significantly increased the capacity of the resort after the Wilderness Act of 1964 closed Basswood Lodge providing him the opportunity to purchase its main building at auction for $2,500. In a project dubbed “Bulinski’s Folly” he dismantled the 10,000 square foot structure, transported it log-by-log to Snowbank Lake and reassembled it in time to host a convention of sportswriters.
A tireless promoter of the Ely area, his outdoor adventures were featured on Harold Ensley’s prime time TV show The Sportsman’s Friend, he attended sports shows and hosted fishing openers with Governors Elmer Anderson and Harold Levander, and drew attention to Ely as a winter destination while supplying provisions to Root Beer Lady Dorothy Molter by snowmobile in the dead of winter. Emery attained national attention briefly in 1979 when identified by Fisherman Party presidential candidate Jackpine Bob Cary as his selection for Secretary of Treasury.
A consistent believer in the basic goodness of people, he gave many a new start in life by hiring the “down and out” to work in his businesses and by financing real estate purchases for those not qualified for conventional mortgages.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Dolores, two older sisters who perished in the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic, his parents Stanley and Pauline Bulinski, and his brother Eugene.
Emery is survived by his six children: Bill, Earl (Sharon), Gregory (Charles), Pamela, Trish and Becky (Brian) Falk and his grandchildren: Nicole Riad, Jared, Libby, Teddy, Alex Cole, Maddy Hoffmeister, Sydney Falk and Allie Falk, and great-grandchildren Nathan Hoffmeister, Lucy, Zayn Riad and Beckett; his brother Raymond (Alice) and surrogate family members Judy Hannigan and Mike Zika.
The Bulinski family deeply appreciates the loyal and loving caregivers whose dedication permitted Emery to continue to live at home as he approached the end of his life: Caitlin, LaRae, Micki and Kate. A funeral Mass will take place on Saturday, October 24, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Ely, with visitation an hour before the service.

Dale A. Olson, 78, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, September 27, 2015 at his residence in Ely.
He was born December 27, 1936 in Thief River Falls, MN to Andy and Petra Olson.
Dale married Beverly (Tyler) on December 5, 1959.
He lived life to the fullest with his family and friends. Dale could fix anything that was broken and loved to hunt and fish with his family.
He enjoyed his working years for Reserve Mining Company, and after that was a truck driver for many years but never retired. He worked for the Township of Morse taking care of township roads. When he was in Florida he was the only one allowed to drive Sue’s Kubota.
He is survived by his loving wife, Beverly, of 56 years, children: Thomas (Diane), Laurie (Jeff) Fitzloff, Jeffrey Dale Olson, Steven (Cassie); siblings: Arlen (Judy), Darwyn (Nancy), Cheryl (Ken) Hegman; sisters-and brothers-in-law Ruth (Roger) Ritter, Paul (Doris) Tyler; Joyce Tyler, Dean Weiss; and families; grandchildren: Casey (Joe), Amber, Jef (Dana), Dale, Kaley, Austin, Jayden and Ava; great grandchildren: Joey, Brady, Emily and Gabe; and many friends.
He was preceded in death by his son Jim, his parents, sister-in-law Debbie Weiss and brother-in-law Richard Tyler.
A casual gathering to celebrate Dale’s life will be held at Grand Ely Lodge on Thursday, October 1 from noon to 3 p.m. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Joan E. Swanson, 74, of Blaine, MN died Monday, Sept. 21, 2015 in New Brighton, Minnesota. She was preceded in death by parents Isaac and Tordis Caron.
Survived by loving husband Archie; step-children, Therese Swanson, Archie Pierce Swanson; siblings, Marily (Eugene) Isfeld, Waymon (Marge) Caron, Janet (Robert) Ungerman, Joyce (Ron) Robbins, Steven (Patricia) Caron, many nieces and nephews.
Memorial Service Saturday, Oct. 3 at 10 a.m. at the Kozlak-Radulovich Blaine Chapel (107th Ave NE and Hwy 65) with visitation one hour prior. Memorial preferred.

Douglas Dale Drechsler (Decker), 79, Ely, died on Thursday, October 1, 2015 in the Ely Bloomenson Hospital. He was born on January 11, 1936 in Cloquet, Minnesota.
Doug served in the U.S. Army in the 77th Special Forces Group, 4th Armored Division. Educated at the University of Minnesota, Duluth, he was an English teacher and head librarian at the Ely Memorial High School, retiring in 1994. He was an avid outdoorsman and golfer, and a long-time golf coach for the Ely Memorial High School golf team.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Grace (Stueck) Decker and Robert Decker; his brothers, Frederick “Dick” Drechsler and Terry Drechsler; and his sister, Judy Vogen.
He is survived by his wife, Denise Drechsler; his three children: Steven Drechsler (Tracy), Scott Drechsler, and Amy Rutten (Luke); his seven grandchildren: Thaddeus, Zachary, Bailey and Brooke Drechsler, Jonathan Buckingham, and Sadie and Gillian Rutten, and three great grandchildren.
Please join family and friends for a celebration of his life at the Ely Golf Course clubhouse on Saturday, October 3 from 1:00-3:00. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Paul Arnold Vollom, 71, explorer-adventurer, free forward thinker, gemologist-earth agent, inventor-designer, storyteller-screen writer, father passed away unexpectedly September 22, 2015 at his home in Campo, California. His family and friends think of Paul with fondness and memories of adventures. He is missed.
Paul was born in Jamestown, ND September 7, 1944, grew up in Ely, MN and graduated from Ely Memorial High School in 1962. He completed a BS in Physics at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis in 1966 and an MA in Philosophy at the University of Oregon in 1972. In 1978 Paul passed his Gemmology Diploma and was a member of The Gemmological Association of Great Britain for 30 years.
Paul was a man of infinitely varied interests and talents. Some of his work life includes research chemist for Borden Chemical, Springfield OR where he invented Pebble Panel, exhibit design with WISTEC (now the Science Factory) Eugene OR, and exhibit design with Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, San Diego, CA.
He is survived by sister Dorothy and brother Doug, sons Jabel Jerimiah and Jordi Lee Vollom, their mother, Sharon, and six grandchildren.

Richard “Rick” L. Whiting, 64 of Ely, died peacefully in his home, surrounded by his family, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015, after a courageous battle with cancer.

Richard Lee Whiting was born Dec. 30, 1950, in Winton, to Joseph and Helen (Niemi) Whiting. Rick graduated from Tower High School in 1969. He proudly served our country in the Vietnam War from 1970-1972. Rick worked as a logger and miner, retiring from LTV.

He had a passion for camping, fishing, trapping, and spending time with his family. He also enjoyed music, dancing, and gardening.

He is survived by wife, Kelly; daughters: Jennifer Shusta, and Marissa Whiting; grandchildren, Robert Shusta Jr., Jade Starkman and Amaris Scheirer; mother, Helen Whiting; sisters, Sharon (Bill) Dimich, Diane (Paul) Myers, and Julie (Dave) Rhein; brother, Jerome (Brenda) Whiting; numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, relatives, and many friends.

He was preceded in death by his father, Joseph “Joe” Whiting.
A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015, at The Longbranch in Winton. Arrangements are with Range Funeral Home in Virginia. To sign the online guestbook or to send condolences, please visit www.rangefuneralhomes.com.

Jean A. Arnold, 94, of Ely, passed away at the Boundary Waters Care Center in Ely. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Sharon Ann (Johnson) Dolentz, 71, went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Sunday morning, October 11, 2015. She was surrounded by her five children.
She was the rock of her family; her faith and five children were her two great passions in life. She will be greatly missed.

She was born June 3, 1944 in Ely to Wilfred and Betty (Skeens) Johnson. She married Robert Dolentz, January 2, 1965.
She is survived by her sisters: Sandra (Bill) Lakner and Deborah Johnson; her five children: Julianne (David) Rohr, Marrielin (Jonathan) Ofstad, Daniel Dolentz, Joelynn (Brian) Schroeder, and Sueanne Dolentz; and five grandchildren: Alexander, Elizabeth, Kaden, Kellan and Emily. She was preceded in death by her husband and her parents.

Funeral services will be held at First Lutheran Church of Ely on Thursday, October 15 at 3:00 p.m.

Harold D. Randol, 82, died Friday October 9, 2015.
He was born in Creighton, Missouri, the son of Guy Gibson and Etta Ruth (Jones) Randol. He was married to Rosia Lea Bell on December 29, 2012.
He is preceded in death by his first wife of 53 years, Carolyn J. (Trively) Randol; parents, Guy and Etta Ruth Randol; two brothers: Don Randol and Charles Randol; and three sisters: Lois Boyle, Norma Baldwin and Margie Shanks; a nephew Brad Baldwin.
He is survived by his wife, Rosia Lea Bell; one son, Dale Randol and his wife Sandy West Randol; their daughters: Madison and Megan of Kildeer, Illinois; one daughter, Laura (Andy) Gallardo and their two sons, Blake and Brady of Valencia, California; one brother, Tom Randol and his wife Carolyn Engler Randol of Harrisonville, Missouri; two sisters: Julie Reynolds of Smithville, Missouri and Wanda (Glenn) Mann, of Gower, Missouri; many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. His life was also blessed by loving relationships with Rosia Lea’s extended family and his countless friends.
Harold was a lifelong Methodist and was a member of the Village United Methodist Church in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas and the Ely (MN) United Methodist Church.
He served in the US Air Force during the Korean conflict. He was a graduate of Northwest Missouri State and Western Michigan University. He taught 36 years in public high schools in Battle Creek, Michigan and Elmhurst, Illinois. He shared teaching responsibilities in his Sunday school class at Village United Methodist Church. He was a Curbside Angel, Greeter and Teller at the church.
He enjoyed square dancing, wood working and wood turning. He loved being with family and maintaining a family cabin in Ely, Minnesota for over 55 years.
A Memorial Service will be held at the Village United Methodist Church Saturday October 17, 2015. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Village United Methodist Church or charity of your choice.

Marian M. Drummond, 97, of Babbitt, passed away on Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at Carefree Assisted Living in Babbitt. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Edna Ann Kibbe, 95, of Ely, passed away on Saturday, October 17, 2015 at home. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Edna Murto, longtime resident of Ely, died on Sunday, October 18, 2015 at the age of 90.
All 12 of her brothers and sisters preceded her in death and she is survived by three children, numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
A brief memorial service followed by dessert will be held on Saturday, October 24, 2015 at 1:00 pm at the Ely Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Ronald P. Cadari of Ridgecrest, CA, died September 10, 2015, in Bakersfield Heart Hospital of multiple health issues at age 80 with family and clergy at the bedside. Ridgecrest was his home for 43 years.
He was born in Ely to Caesar and Christine Cadari on October 24, 1934. College and working in an underground iron ore mine for one year was not appealing. The Navy came calling in 1954 and became his 20-year career, retiring in 1974 at NWC China Lake, CA, then he began employment at NWC as a system analyst. He served in various squadrons, ISS Coral Sea (CVA43) with deployment to Vietnam, Naval Air Facilities including NAS Kenitra, Morocco.
He married Joyce Whitt of Ely in 1960 and together they traveled in the U.S. and lived in Morocco for three years enjoying travels in Europe - especially Spain with the festival of Grapes and Blessings of the Vineyards by Cardinals and Bishops of the Church. They also took in bullfights (not so pleasant), shopping trips to Gibraltar, beaches of the Mediterranean Sea, sand dunes of the Sahara and crossed the Atlantic twice via ocean cruise lines.
Ron was a life member of the Fleet Reserve Association, American Legion, VFW, NRA and supported veteran groups, DVA, wounded Warriors, and Vietnam Memorial. He enjoyed pool, bowling, square dancing, all types of fishing, reading (history “buff”).
Ron was preceded in death by his parents, an infant daughter and daughter Christine Shields. Survivors are his wife, Joyce; daughters: Rochelle (Harvey) Nash and daughter Lori (Chris) Lesso, all of Bakersfield, CA; six grandsons, two granddaughters, two great grandchildren; brother Dennis Cadari of Ely, sister Mary (Jack) Williams of Waseca, MN, nieces and nephews and cousins.
Burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery with military rites at a later date, where his infant daughter is buried. Per his request, no local services. Farewell Navy comrades.

Brian Arthur Anderson, 64, of Ely, passed away at his home Monday, October 19, 2015, surrounded by his loving wife and children after a brave four-year battle with limited Scleroderma/Crest Syndrome/Pulmonary Hypertension/PVOD.
Brian was born on November 30, 1950 to Arthur W. Anderson and Helen P. (Hall) Anderson in Ely. Brian graduated from Ely Memorial High School in 1969 and the University of Minnesota – Duluth with a degree in Geography in 1973.
Brian married the love of his life, Ginny (Folz) Anderson on February 14, 1976. During his life Brian worked for the U.S. Forest Service, as a steelworker at Minntac, as a carpenter, and for 23 years in the Tower-Soudan Mine for the University of Minnesota.
Brian enjoyed fishing and hunting, camping trips to Basswood Lake, playing cribbage and smear and working around his home and garage in Ely. Brian was a loving husband and father. One of the greatest joys in his life were his grandchildren and the time he spent with them.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brother William; father-in-law Jon Folz and mother-in-law Carolyn Folz; and niece Allison Folz.
Brian is survived by his wife of 39 years, Ginny; children: Jeff (Jason Vincent) of Duluth, Jill (Scott) Meldahl of Fergus Falls, and Kristin of Mountain Iron; grandchildren: Makayla and Evelyn Meldahl, Scarlett Anderson-Vieau, grandson Brian (to be born in March 2016); brother Robert (Jean); sisters-in-law Barbara Folz, Joan (Pete) Weckman, Carrie (Efren) Cazares, Kathleen Folz-Hood, Jamie Folz and brother-in-law Jon Folz Jr.; many nieces, nephews, dear friends and his faithful K-9 companion Dolly.
A celebration of life will take place from 12:30 p.m. -2 p.m. on Saturday, October 24, 2015 at Kerntz Funeral Home, 140 E Sheridan St, Ely, MN.

Mary M. Landa, 93, of Ely died Monday, October 26, 2015 at the Ely Bloomenson Community Hospital.
She was born on July 8, 1922 in Morse Township to John and Mary (Shober) Tekavec and had been a life long Ely resident, graduating from the Ely High School.
Mary was a member of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, KSKJ Lodge, Slovenian Women and the VFW auxiliary, all of Ely. She worked as a baker at the Ely Bloomenson Community Hospital.
She is survived by three granddaughters: Heather (Noel) Kleindl of Mount Pleasant, TX, Missy (Jason) Mohn of Minnetonka, MN and Amy (Derron Parker) Radford of Minneapolis, MN; eight grandchildren: Courtney, Colton, Drake, Griffin, Micah, Sarah, Hannah and Aleyah; a brother, John (Paulette) Tekavec of Ely; son-in-law Paul Radford of International Falls, MN and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband John Landa; son Donald Landa; daughter Geraldine Radford and sister Ann Robich.
Funeral mass will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, November 3, 2015 at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Ely with Rev. Fr. Bill Skarich as celebrant. Visitation will be for one hour prior to the service at the church. Inurnment will be in the Ely Cemetery. Arrangements are with the Landmark Funeral Home of Virginia.

Sharon Pierce, 67, of Sioux Falls, SD, passed away Wednesday October 28, 2015. A private service will be held.
She is preceded in death by her parents, John and Jenny (Jokela) Lobe. Survived by her husband John, Sioux Falls, sister, Jeannette (Bernie) Palcher, Ely and brother Kenneth (Liza) Lobe, of Alaska. www.millerfh.com