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Jeffrey Allen LaTour
Jeffrey Allen LaTour, a 1986 Proctor high school graduate, died Saturday, Aug. 28, 2004 in Madrid, Spain as the result of a traffic accident. He was 36.
He was born Sept. 11, 1967 in Duluth to Gary LaTour and Coreen Tjader. He joined the National Guard in 1984 and attained the rank of E7 after 8 years of service. In 1993, Jeff joined the Army full time and remained in active duty until his untimely death. He achieved the rank of CW-2.
Jeff enjoyed the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing. He was an avid Harley-Davidson rider and was known for his sense of humor that brought laughter and fun to his family and friends.
He is preceded in death by his two grandmothers; and grandfather.
Jeffrey is survived by his children, Jessica and Michael LaTour of Lakeville; mother, Coreen (Walter 'Skip') Bloomer of Eagan; father, Gary LaTour of Duluth; sister, Jennifer (Terry) Carroll of Duluth; nephew, Jason LaTour; niece, Megan Carroll, both of Duluth; paternal grandfather, Tel LaTour, Sr. of Duluth; and stepsister, Julie (Joe) Jondreau and family of Solon Springs, Wis.
Burial was yesterday in Fort Snelling National Cemetery.
Olga Swapinski
Florence Dailey, Proctor; is mourning the death of her mother, Olga Swapinski. The Duluth resident died Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2004 in Bayshore Health Care Facility. She was 98.
She was born in Duluth and married Edward Swapinski in 1930. She enjoyed working in her garden and tending to her flowers.
Olga was preceded in death by her parents; husband; sons, Vic and Mel Turk; five brothers; and one sister.
She is also survived by her son, Edward (Patricia), of Brule, Wis. and many grandchildren; great-grandchildren; great-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Henry Waldimar Koivisto
Gary Koivisto and Joyce Hasl are mourning the death of their father, Henry Waldimar Koivisto of Brainerd Ave, Duluth and Glendale, Ariz. He died Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2004.
He was born and raised in Wright, Minn., and South 1st Ave E., Duluth. A member of CCC, 706 First unit to be sent out of state, going to Lake Tahoe, Calif., working with Highway survey crew. He later worked with Jack Salo Engineering of Duluth, and sailed 7 years on the Great Lakes. He worked for 32 years at UMD, retiring from the business office in 1981.
He was preceded in death by first wife, Dorothy Paavola Koivisto Hasl; second wife Katherine Martimo White Koivisto, Dec. 1989; grandson, Scooter, 1998.
He is also survived by seven grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Memorial service to be scheduled at a later date in Duluth. Internment will be at Sunrise Memorial Park.
Arthur L. Fisk
Arthur L. Fisk, who grew up in Saginaw and worked on the DMIR, died Friday, Aug. 27, 2004 in the Minnesota Veterans Home in Silver Bay. He was 89.
The former Pike lake resident was born on Nov. 15, 1914 to Bert and Roseltha (Ayers) Fisk in Industrial Twsp. He was a U.S. Navy Veteran of World War II. Arthur was united in marriage to Martha Laulunen on Oct. 2, 1948 in Duluth. Following marriage the couple made their home in Duluth. They moved to Pike in 1976. He loved fishing and the music at Ironworld.
He was preceded in death by his parents; four sisters; six brothers; and wife, Martha on Nov. 1, 2002.
Surviving are his nieces, Phyllis Hurd of Two Harbors, Kathy (Steve) Crep of Virginia; nephew, Martin (Robin) Laulunen of Embarrass; numerous other nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
Military Honors were accorded by the Virginia Color Guard. Burial was in West Pike Cemetery.
Lloyd V. Sletten
Lloyd V. Sletten of Duluth passed into the hands of our Lord on Tues., Sept. 7, 2004. He was 89.
Lloyd was the husband to Joyce (Hollingsworth) Sletten for 52 years. He was the father of four daughters - Sandra (Tom) Jones, Gail (Mark) Bennett, Joanne (Steve) Anderson and Susan Sletten (Mike Catlin) and the Boppa to seven grandchildren - Abraham, Rebecca and Nathaniel Jones, Stephen Jr. and Lee James Anderson, and Dustin and Aric Toboleski.
Joyce and her family would like to invite all to share in his life at Lloyd’s memorial service Sat., Sept. 11, 2004 at 2:00 p.m., Cremation Society of Minn., 4100 Grand Ave., Duluth. The family will greet friends one hour prior to the service.
Charles John Birch
Charles John Birch of Woodbury, Minn., who graduated from Proctor High School in 1959, passed away September 15, 2004. He was 62.
He was preceded in death by his parents Donald and Vivian Birch.
Charles was a member of a long-time Proctor family. His grandfather, C.J. Birch was Superintendent of the DM&IR many years ago. His father Donald and uncle John also had long careers with the DM&IR. His mother Vivian worked for the railroad in the late 1920s. Both parents also graduated from PHS. Charles spent his career with the Soo Line R.R. His final position being Yardmaster in St. Paul.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara of Woodbury, a son Charlie of Zimmerman, Mn., daughters Rebecca (Brian) Richert of Forest Lake, Laurie Birch of Texas, Suzanne Birch of Colorado, Denise of Illinois, sisters Elizabeth (Ralph) Sershen of W. St. Paul, Katherine (Ron) Sorensen of Kenosha, Wisc., grandchildren Keenan and Josie and many other nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
A memorial service, will be held Sat., Sept. 25, 2004 at 2:00 p.m. at the Wulff Funeral Home in Woodbury.
Evelyn Julia Jacobson
Services were held last week for Evelyn Julia Jacobson of Proctor. She passed away Tues., Sept. 14, 2004. She was 77.
She was a member of St. Rose Catholic Church.
Evelyn was preceded in death by her husband Donovan C. Jacobson.
She is survived by her daughter Vicki Nguyen of Calif., sons Gary of Colo., Mark, Paul and Shawn of Duluth and Miles of Alaska, 12 grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
Burial was at Sunrise Memorial Park.
Carolyn B. Rissanen
Two Saginaw residents are mourning the death of their mother, Carolyn B. Rissanen, 80, of Duluth. She died Sat., Sept. 11, 2004 in St. Luke’s Hospital.
She was born in Two Harbors, where she grew up and graduated from high school. Carolyn later attended Duluth State Teachers College. She lived in Orr for several years and had made her home in Duluth since 1956.
Carolyn is survived by her sons John Rissanen of Hermantown, Raymond Rissanen and James (Debbie) Rissanen of Saginaw and Donald Rissanen of Orlando, Fla., daughters Ginger Dougherty of Saginaw and Joyce Rissanen of Duluth, a brother Robert (Barb) Sellman of Two Harbors, eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Burial in Lakeview Cemetery.
Ronald R. Wilmot
Ronald R. Wilmot, who graduated from Proctor High School in 1961, died from cancer Wed., Sept. 15, 2004 in Crystal, Minn. He was 61.
The Plymouth, Minn. resident, formerly of Duluth, was born March 5, 1943 in Duluth. He graduated from UMD in 1965.
He was preceded in death by adoptive parents George R. and Myrtle M. Wilmot, birth parents Wayne Kangas and Helen Wodrich, and brothers Chester Kangas and Gerald Wilmot.
He is survived by his wife Lucille, son Justin and half-sisters Jeanette Allard and Cheryl Sims.
Interment at German Liberal Cemetery, Medina, Minn.
Gertrude “Gert” Zakrajsek
Former Proctor Public Schools superintendent Barbra Zakrajsek is mourning the death of her mother, Gertrude “Gert” Zakrajsek. The Milaca resident, formerly of Chisholm, died Thurs., Sept. 16, 2004, at the NC Little Hospice House in Edina, Minn. She was 79.
She was born March 28, 1925, in Gilbert and was a 1942 graduate of Gilbert High School. She attended the College of St. Scholastica and worked at Allis Chalmers in Milwaukee, Wis. In 1971, Gert and her husband Zak moved to Chicago, where Zak was the chief of public works for the Chicago Regional Office of the Economic Development Administration. In 1977, they returned to Chisholm. Following Zak’s death in 1993, Gert remained in Chisholm until 2003, when she moved to Milaca to be closer to her daughter Barbra.
Survivors include her children Martin “Marty’’ (Mary Ann) of Richland, Wash., Regina Zakrajsek of Northfield, Minn. and Lisa (Mike Murphy) Zakrajsek of Medford, N.J. and eight grandchildren.
Burial was in Gilbert Cemetery.
Curtiss T. Mehlum
Services were held for Curtiss T. Mehlum of Proctor, who died Thurs., Sept. 23, 2004 in St. Mary’s Medical Center. He was 60.
He was born in Duluth and attended Denfeld High School and later worked at Conwed Corp., in housekeeping at St. Mary’s Medical Center and most recently as custodian at Glen Avon Presbyterian Church. He had been baptized in Our Savior’s Lutheran Church and confirmed in Bethel Lutheran Church. He was a committee member of the Head of The Lakes Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elks Foundation and an active member of the St. Mary’s Cancer Support Group.
He was preceded in death by his father Theodore and stepmother Violet Mehlum, his mother Lila and stepfather Marvin Brown and brother Marvin Sorby.
Curtiss is survived by his wife Jean, sons LeRoy (Barb) Mehlum and Chad Mehlum, all of Duluth, daughters Cyndy Mehlum and Lisa (Brandon) Dado, all of Plymouth, Minn., sister Judy Ramlo of Montgomery, Minn., grandchildren Macy and Jake, sister-in-law Connie Sorby, several nieces and nephews and will be missed dearly by Charlie.
