Carol Ann (Tomsich) Tegantvoort of Maplewood, 74, passed away peacefully with family by her side after a 22 month battle with pancreatic cancer.
She was born in Ely, Minnesota, on July 13, 1943. Carol was very proud of her Ely heritage. You could always see an “I Love Ely” sticker on her van and her scooter. She graduated from Ely Memorial High School in 1961. On July 20, 1984 she received her nursing diploma from St. Paul TVI. Carol married Larry Tegantvoort in 1964 and was blessed with four children. Survived by sons Bradley (Jana), Kurt (Jill), Kevin (Sheri), and daughter Kari “Sis” (John) Knodle; grandsons: Tony, Johnny, Jorren, and Kai; granddaughters: Paige, Laurie (Dan) Furth, Alicia, and Ashley; brothers: Louis “Butch” (Linda) and Jack (Sue); numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, special friends, and extended family.

Preceded in death by her parents Christine “Tini” and Louis “Cedar” Tomsich, sister Christine, and Dan Patraw, her companion of more than 20 years. Carol enjoyed her grandkids and all the family gatherings, spending time with her many friends, and attending Woodland Hills Church. Carol especially enjoyed attending all 12 days of the Minnesota State Fair and traveling to California to visit her daughter and family.
A celebration of Carol’s life will be held at Woodland Hills Church, St. Paul, MN on Friday, November 10 with visitation at 10:00 a.m., service at 11:00, luncheon to follow. Private interment in Ely Cemetery on Sunday, November 12. A special thanks to Dr. Shanks, Carefree Cottages, New Harmony Care Center, and Healtheast Hospice. Arrangements by Wulff Funeral Home of St. Paul, and Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely, Minnesota.

Paul O. Walker, born June 18, 1941, died at home November 6, 2017. He enjoyed every moment spent at Eagles Nest, in the woods, on the lake and with the good folks of Ely.

Olga M. Levar, 95, of Ely, passed away on Tuesday, November 14, 2017 at the Boundary Waters Care Center in Ely. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Alvin Clyde Lamppa, age 83 of Embarrass, died Friday, Nov. 17, 2017 at Carefree Living in Babbitt. He was born October 5, 1934 in Embarrass the son of Axel and Minnie (Hill) Lamppa. He was a graduate of Embarrass High School. Alvin was united in marriage to Janet Seppala on August 14, 1954 in Virginia, MN.

Alvin was the owner/operator of Lamppa’s, Inc., and together with his wife, Janet and son, Loren, owned the Cold Spot Bottle Shop. He was a member of Hope Lutheran Church, the Volunteer Fire Department, and bowling leagues in Babbitt and Virginia. He was a sports enthusiast who enjoyed watching his sons and grandsons playing basketball and football. He enjoyed carpentry, fishing, and the cabin life on Birch Lake.

Alvin is survived by his wife: Janet of Embarrass; children: Brian (Liisa) Lamppa of Embarrass, Regan (Brenda) Lamppa of Richfield, MN, and Paula (Corey) Roseth of Mifflinburg, PA; sister: Alice Niemi of Virginia; grandchildren: Aaron (Nancy) Lamppa, Kyle (Sarah) Lamppa, Nicholas Roseth, Nathan (Juliette) Roseth, and Noah Roseth; great grandchildren: Sophia, Lance, Max, and Natalie Lamppa, and Laurel Roseth; step-great-grandson: Alex (Anna) Bee; step- great-great-granddaughter: Avery; and numerous extended family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his son: Loren; brother: Ernest; and sister: Bertha Niemi.

A visitation will be held from 5-7pm, Monday, November 20 at the Vermilion Funeral Home in Tower. The visitation will continue from 10:00 am until the 11:00 am Funeral Service at Hope Lutheran Church in Embarrass, MN. The Reverend Evelyn Weston will officiate. Interment will be in the Embarrass cemetery. Memorials are preferred.

Family services are provided by Bauman-Cron, a Bauman Family Funeral Home, in Virginia. To express condolences on-line please see: www.baumanfuneralhome.com.

Sharron Clasen, 77, of Ely and Little Canada, MN passed away on Saturday, November 18, 2017 Preceded in death by husband Fred H. and parents George and Vera Dodd of Thunder Bay, Ontario. Survived by children Dodd (Sharon), Christopher (Tanya). Many nieces, nephews, and a million friends.
Sharron was born and raised in Thunder Bay, Ontario. She moved to the Twin Cities to seek employment in the early Sixties. It was at the St. Paul Curling Club that she met and married into the “Curling Clasens” of which she said, “was the best thing she ever did in life.” She was a serial promoter and community organizer. In 1977, she founded Little Canada Canadian Days which thrives to this day. She always thought big and was able to get several United States Senators and Congressman to participate in this smalltown celebration. In 1979, she fell just short in booking the attendance of then President Jimmy Carter. Integral to what Canadian Days now is, she helped facilitate the twinning of Little Canada with her home town, the city of Thunder Bay. This lasting legacy can be witnessed in the Maple Leaf and Thunder Bay flags that fly on Little Canada Road during August of every year. Sharron later became an accomplished entrepreneur, founding the staffing company Freelance Professionals in 1980. One of her proudest moments in business was implementing a telemarketing program selling season tickets for both the Minnesota Twins and North Stars; and later a unit to process ticket requests for the 1985 MLB All-Star Game. The business morphed into light industrial temporary help where she developed a unique way of serving clients and employees with a high degree of respect and dignity. She inspired many workers to seek greater achievement and showed them how to open the door to possibility. She always strove to elevate people to be something more than they were. The company was successfully operated for over twenty years.
Later in life she retired with her husband Fred to their cabin near Ely, where many friends were made at bridge club and St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. She was a mentor to local youth, pushing them to reach their potential. A stranger was a friend she had yet to make and she will be missed by the thousands that were ever lucky enough to cross her path.
Services: Thursday, November 30 at Town and Country Club, 300 N Mississippi River Blvd, St Paul, MN 55104. Visitation 10:00 am to noon. Memorial Service: Noon. Lunch to follow.
Memoriums in Lieu of Flowers can be made to:. St; Mary’s Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 513, Ely, MN 55731

Damien “Bobo” Hutar, 66, of Ely, passed away on Friday, November 24, 2017 at the Boundary Waters Care Center in Ely. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, November 28, 2017 at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Ely at 11:00 A.M. with visitation being held one hour prior to the service at the church. Military honors will be provided by the Ely Honor Guard. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Gary L. McDonald, 70, of Babbitt, passed away on Tuesday, November 21, 2017 at the Ely Bloomenson Community Hospital. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Edwin William Latva, 88, of Ely, passed away on Monday, November 27, 2017 at his home. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Ralph Howard Smith, 93, went to his heavenly home on November 24, 2017, in Wilmington NC. Ralph was born in Plainfield, IL, to Reva Davis Smith and Ralph Howard Smith Sr. Ralph lived in Ely MN for over three decades before relocating with his wife, Mary, to Wilmington in 2014 to be close to family.
Ralph was predeceased by his daughter Eleanor, in 2017, one brother, three sisters, two step brothers three step sisters and two wives.
Ralph is survived by his wife, Mary Wachter-Smith, son Dale (Debbie) Smith of Conway AK, daughter Kathleen (Virgil) Norris of Sunrise Beach, MO and son-in-law Robert Pedersen of Joliet IL. Also, step daughters, Janet (Bruce) Kavanaugh of Wilmington, Barbara (Gary) Rothe of Springfield NH, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
His family moved to Joliet, IL in the early 1930s. Ralph graduated from Joliet Central High School and he immediately enlisted in the U.S. Army to serve in World War II. He spent time at several Army bases, trained in the Signal Corp and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant when he was just 21. Briefly, he returned to Joliet to marry his high school sweetheart, Phyllis Toovey. His first child, Kathy, was born while Ralph and Phyllis were on base in NJ as he completed his OTC schooling. While he was still with the Army, he was invited to play quarterback with Oregon State. As the war was ending, Ralph was training his company for the invasion of Japan. After the end of the war, because of how essential Ralph’s leadership skills had become, he remained in service for an additional six months. At the war’s end, Ralph was invited again to play quarterback for Oregon State, but decided to return home.
Upon Ralph’s return to civilian life, he was employed at a Montgomery Ward’s store in Joliet and became head of the Service Department. Dale and Eleanor were born in Joliet. He began planning, with friend and partner Sherman Smith, to build the Community TV and Appliance Store on Ruby Street in Joliet. Ralph owned and managed the store for nearly 30 years. Ralph enjoyed being involved with local politics and helped to elect Norman Keck as mayor of Joliet. During the 1980s, the family began vacationing in Ely MN, at the invitation of Joliet neighbor and friend, Bob Cary. Bob and Ralph continued their friendship in Ely and he helped Bob develop Canadian Border Outfitters. In 1983, after retiring, he and Phyllis built their home on the shores of Jasper Lake. Ralph was a longtime member of the First Presbyterian Church of Ely for 30 years, serving as Elder. Phyllis enjoyed life in Ely with the family until she died in 1992. Several years later Ralph married Theresa Hinkernell from VT. Theresa died in 2002.
During the 1960s, in Joliet, Ralph and Phyllis were two of the original 63 Charter members who helped plan and build Westminster Presbyterian Church, where he served as an Elder. Good friends Ken and Mary Wachter were also Charter members and the two couples remained friends for many years. Unknown at the time, the seeds of this friendship would grow into a late-in-life opportunity for love. Ralph reached out to Mary after Ken died in 2004, and that reconnection blossomed into marriage in July 2005.
Ralph enjoyed good food and didn’t need an occasion to say, “let’s go out to eat,” making frequent visits to his favorite, Grand Ely Lodge. Ralph never met a dessert he didn’t like. He was an avid fisherman, and enjoyed boating on Jasper Lake. Winter or summer, the lake was Ralph’s favorite place to be, enjoying a beautiful sunset and the Northern Lights. He was a quiet, gentle man with an unexpected dry wit and surprising smile. He will be missed.
He will be interred in Lincoln National Cemetery in Joliet.
Condolences to the family may be made at www.andrewsmortuary.com

Richard Leroy “Dick” Perala, 76, of Lake Vermilion, Tower, died Sunday, November 26, 2017 at his home. Richard was born March 21, 1941 in Duluth to Betty Perala. He grew up in Makinen and Markham and was a 1959 graduate of Aurora-Hoyt Lakes High School. Richard was united in marriage to Judith Papesh on August 1, 1964 in Virginia. He retired in 2001 after 36 years as a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 294 in Hibbing. He split his retirement years between his lake place on Vermilion and the homestead farm in Makinen.
Richard is survived by a son, Michael (Lisa) of Virginia, three grandchildren: Anthony (Lucy) of Roseville, Juliann of St. Louis Park, and Jack of Virginia; his companion of the past seventeen years, Peggy Hayden, her daughter Rhonda (Tyler Berg), and her grandchildren, Zachary Gregorich and Landon Paine; brother Kenneth (Toby) Kauppinen, sister Amy Kauppinen, sister-in-law Nancy Kauppinen, several nieces and nephews, and his best dog Kelly.
Richard was preceded in death by his mother Betty in 1981, a son Richard Jacob in 1985, his wife Judy in 2000, a brother Donald (Nancy) Kauppinen in 2010, a sister Karen Kauppinen in 2017, and niece Peggy Kauppinen in 2017.
A gathering of family and friends will be held from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Friday, December, 1, 2017 at Range Funeral Home in Virginia. To sign the online guest book, please visit www.rangefuneralhomes.com.

Marilyn Wilson, 70, of Ely, passed away on Tuesday, November 28, 2017 at her residence. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

George “Duffy” W. Rhein, 85, of Ely, passed away Friday, November 24, 2017 at Boundary Waters Care Center in Ely.
George William Rhein was born February 13, 1932 in Ely to George and Alice (Kolstad) Rhein. He was a graduate of Ely High School. Following high school, George attended Ely Junior College and played football while attending. On July 14, 1956, he was united in marriage to Janet Kramer. George enlisted in the U.S. Army and was Military Police in Germany during the Korean Conflict. He was employed at Reserve Mining Co. as a machinist.
George enjoyed family and the outdoors which included fishing, camping, and hunting.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Janet; sons:David (Julie), Mike (Pat); daughter: Sandy (Paul); grandchildren: Triston, April (Leo), Katie, Eric, Sara, Tyler (Joselyn); great granddaughter: Isabell; brother: Allen (Betty); sisters-in-law: Francis Kramer, Norma Kramer; several nieces and nephew.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
A memorial service will be held Friday, December 8, 2017 at Range Funeral Home in Virginia at 11:00 am with visitation one-hour prior. Deacon Dan Schultz will officiate. Military Honors will be accorded by the Virginia Honor Guard. Arrangements are with Range Funeral Home in Virginia. To sign the online guest book or to send condolences, please visit www.rangefuneralhomes.com.

Mary Jane Johnson, 67, of Ely, passed away on Wednesday, November 29, 2017 at Essentia Health- St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

George Rukavina passed away on December 6, 2017, in his home. He was born to Steve Rukavina and Kathryn (Karakas) Rukavina on January 26, 1928.
George attended the Ely Schools until he quit in 1946 to go to work and take care of the family. He started work for the Forest Service in 1944, the following year he worked for the DMIR railroad, joined the Army in 1946, putting one year in Korea, was honorably discharged and returned to work on the railroad. He was a part of a team of three that then started an Army Reserve unit, the 982nd Construction Battalion from Ely, Minnesota, which was 3 years inactive, then activated for two years during the Korean War in August 1950.
In 1952 he was discharged again and started work for the Oliver Mining Company at Pioneer Mine for two years.
He began work for the Reserve Mining Company in 1954, running jet-piercing machines and rottary drills for 34 years, and two years for Cyprus Minerals, after which he retired.
George’s hobbies were netting fish in Shagawa Lake for 52 years, smoking and pickling tons of fish. He fished lake trout in Canada and was a sausage maker. He felt he must have done something right when asked to smoke trout for Governor Rudy Perpich for his last birthday in office. George’s other hobbies were carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, baking poticas of all kinds, and tending a large garden. He traveled to Mexico twice in one of his many vehicles, taking in the bullfights and deep-sea fishing off of Acapulco. He visited Las Vegas many times, the Seattle’s World Fair, the Mardi Gras in New Orleans, hunted Hudson Bay for geese, and was a member of the Ely Bowling League and an Ely Golf Club member.
Living relatives are brother Karl Rukavina, niece Cecilia Rolando, nephew Seraphine M. (Pat) Rolando, great niece Amanda, and great nephew Mathew, and families; nieces Andrea Bailey, and Carol (Burnie) Stahl, and families; special friend Pat Marty of Babbitt, and family; sister-in-law Mary Rukavina of Minneapolis, her sons Tom and John, and daughter Susan Johnson. Many great friends also survive George.
George was preceded in death by parents Kathryn and Steve Rukavina, brother Steve Rukavina, sisters Olga (Seraphine) Rolando and Mary (Andrew) Jaworski; also niece Mary Jaworski.

Alice Pamela Starkman, 87, passed away peacefully on Monday December 4 at Southview Senior Living Center in West St. Paul, MN. She was born in St. Paul, MN to Phillip and Olga Keeling on Apil 5, 1930. In her early life Alice was a school teacher in South St. Paul MN, Rawlings WY, Tower MN and the Section 30 School. She married Kenneth Starkman on February 15, 1958 in St. Paul, MN. They owned and operated several businesses throughout the years, most notably the Starkman Oil Company in Ely, MN.
Alice and Ken spent their retirement years in Apache Junction, AZ and St. Paul, MN. Alice loved to read, work crossword puzzles as well as play cribbage and she spent many hours of her retirement doing just that.
She was preceded in death by her husband Kenneth Starkman. Alice is survived by sons: Ken Starkman and Jeff Starkman (Jessica); brother Keith Keeling; and grandsons: Hunter Starkman and Garrett Starkman.
Burial will be at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis, MN. Private memorial service.

Ralph Frank Sershen, 85, of West St. Paul, MN formerly of Ely, passed away on December 5, 2017.
Survived by wife Elizabeth (Birch) Sershen, son Frank (Sue) Sershen, daughters: Barb (Chuck) Elliott, Marie (Chris) Coyne and Jean Sershen (Chris Tomhave), 8 grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Ralph was preceded in death by mother and father, Frank and Mary (Vertnik) Sershen and brother, Donald Sershen.
He and his wife Liz loved to travel and shared that enthusiasm with their children. He was a fun loving guy that could talk to anyone! Ralph graduated from Ely High School ’49 and Metro State University in 1975. Dad loved his cabin on Lake Pokegama in Grand Rapids, warm Florida beaches, jazz, tea, Slovenian Polka Music, a good buffet and all things Ely! He was an honorable Army Veteran serving his country during the 1950s stationed in England. He will be missed and sweetly remembered by his family and friends. Mass of Christian Burial, Wednesday, December 13 at 11 am with visitation 1 hour prior at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 1154 Seminole Avenue, West St. Paul, MN 55118. Private interment. Memorials preferred to donor’s choice.

Carol Delores (Ostlund) Austreng, 83, longtime Babbitt resident, died December 7, 2017 at Carefree Living in Babbitt. Family arrangements are by Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

William (Billy) Mayerle, of Ely, passed away on Thursday, December 7, 2017 at Essentia Health Care Center in Virginia.

Mildred Eva (Kowalski) Randall, 89, passed away peacefully on Dec 7, 2017 in Burnsville, MN, after a courageous battle with Parkinson's and Alzheimers. Millie has been reunited with her husband Bill, daughter Marlys and infant son, brothers: Donald, Clarence, Louis Kowalski, sister Delores, and parents Stephen and Edith Kowalksi. Survived by daughters: Karen Nelson, Ann Tess, Jean Alaspa, Loretta (Jeffrey) Benedict, and Brenda Sweet (Dale Boltz); 13 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren, her brother Richard Kowalski and many other family and friends. A celebration of life will be held Tuesday, December 12, at 11am White Funeral Home, Burnsville MN.

William L. Herzberg, 82, of Ely, passed away at his home on Friday, December 8, 2017. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.