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Beatrice Helga (Hotakainen) Scharnott
Delia Solem of Saginaw is mourning the death of her mother Beatrice Helga (Hotakainen) Scharnott. She succumbed to cancer in her Duluth home Mon., Aug. 20, 2001. She was 68.
She was born in New York Mills, Minn.
She was a longtime member of Grace Evangelical Free Church.
She is also survived by her husband of 50 years Donald Joseph, a son, another daughter, a brother and six grandchildren.
Carmen Olivia French, Services were held yesterday for Carmen Olivia French. The Stark Road East resident died Sun., Aug. 26, 2001 in Cloquet Hospital. She was 81.
She was born in New York Mills, Minn. She married Walter French in Cloquet. She had been an area resident for 62 years.
She is survived by her daughter Charlene (Kenneth Jr.) Erickson, grandchildren Kenneth III (Cari) Erickson and Michael (Pam) Erickson, great-grandchildren Reid, Kyler, Caden, and Cooper Erickson and siblings Mable Sarkela and Harley (Betty) Smith.
Burial was in Oneota Cemetery. Arrangements were made by Bell Brothers Funeral Directors.
Hilda A. Bleck
Hilda A. Bleck, who lived in Saginaw for five years beginning in 1977, died Thurs., Aug. 23, 2001 in Cloquet. She was 92.
She was born in Danville Township, Blue Earth County, Minn. She married Maynard Bleck at Minnesota Lake. They farmed in Waldorf, Minn. for several years. Hilda was a homemaker and also helped Maynard run his residential construction business. They lived in Pine City and Cook before moving to Duluth in 1960. She was a member of the congregation of Jehovah’s Witness and the West End Senior Center.
She is survived by two daughters, a sister, six grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and several nephews.
Burial was in Sunrise Memorial Park.
Donald J. “Rocky” Rockwell
Services were held for Donald J. “Rocky” Rockwell. He died Tues., Aug. 21, 2001 in his Arbutus Drive home. He was 78.
He was born in Duluth, where he was a lifetime area resident. He was a 1941 graduate of Denfeld High School and married Jeanne Hanson. He served active duty with the Air National Guard during the Korean War. He retired as a lieutenant from the Duluth Police Department where he served as a patrolman, patrol sergeant, detective sergeant and lieutenant during his 34 years in the department.
He was a former member of the Masonic Lodge, a member of Forbes United Methodist Church, and a lifetime member of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association.
He is survived by his wife Jeanne, sons David Rockwell of North Branch, Minn. and James Rockwell of Bloomington, Minn., a daughter Cathy Nelson of Moose Lake, and six grandchildren.
Burial was in Oneota cemetery. Memorials to Forbes United Methodist Church are preferred. Arrangements were made by Bell Brothers Funeral Directors.
Lillian Taimi Coffey
Lillian Taimi Coffey, who lived in the area for half a century, died Wed., Aug. 29, 2001 in a Duluth hospice. She was 92.
The Sixth Ave. Proctor resident was born in 1909 in Hibbing to Andrew Emil and Maria A. (Hill) Ollikkala. She had lived in Silverdale-Greaney Area, Cloquet and Elde’s Corner, before moving to Proctor in 1942. Lillian was a member of the VFW Post 106 Auxiliary in Proctor.
Her husband Cleophus died in 1985.
Survivors include a son Kenneth Andrew Coffey of Tampa, Fla., daughters Beatrice (the Rev. Alan) Kitto and Iris (Jerry) Korhonen, both of Proctor, ten grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.
Burial was in Sunrise Memorial Park.
Melvin “Mel” Hansen
A memorial service for Melvin “Mel” Hansen will be held at the grave site in Oneota Cemetery Sept. 14, 2001 at 1 p.m. He died Mon., July 30, 2001. He was 84.
Formerly of Proctor, he lived in Arizona for 24 years. He was preceded in death by is first wife Delores “Lolly” Hansen, and his brothers Herbert Hansen, Harvey Johnson and Clifford Johnson. His second wife of 13 years, Lillian Hansen, died unexpectedly on July 9, 2001.
Mel is survived by his son Craig Hansen of Glendale, Ariz., his daughter Jo (Dick) Rueter of Apple Valley, Minn., his beloved granddaughter Cyndi (Jon) Kluver, and great-granddaughters Erin and Meagan Kluver of Robbinsdale, Minn.
The family requests memorials be sent to Sun Health Foundation/Hospice Care, P.O. Box 2015, Sun City, Ariz. 85372.
Gordon L. “Gordy” Olson
Services were held last week for Gordon L. “Gordy” Olson. He died in his Arbutus Drive home Tues., Aug. 28, 2001. He was 76.
He was born in Duluth and was a lifelong area resident. He worked at U.S. Steel’s Duluth Works for 41 years until its closing. Gordy was a Navy Veteran of World War II, serving aboard the U.S.S. New Orleans in the South Pacific. He married Joy Patton in 1946 in Duluth. He was a member of the West Duluth American Legion Post 71, Duprey Alexander Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 137.
Survivors include his wife Joy, children Bonnie (Bill) McLellan and Julie Olson, both of Duluth, Gordy (Kelly) Olson of North Port, Fla., and Jill (Al) Geers of Sartell, Minn., grandchildren Bill McLellan and Cory Olson, both of Duluth, Chad Olson of Anoka, Minn., Bruce Geers of Afton, Wyo. and Jesse Anderson of North Port, Fla., brother-in-law Richard Patton of Boise, Idaho, and sister-in-law and brother-in-law Dolly and Lee Jensen of Hibbing.
Burial was in Oneota Cemetery. Arrangements were made by Bell Brothers Funeral Directors.
Alta Royetta Johnson
Alta Royetta Johnson, who was born in Proctor and was a resident all her life, died Fri., Sept. 7, 2001 in her home. She was 87.
She graduated from Proctor High School in 1932 and in 1934 received her teaching degree from Duluth State Teachers College. Her first teaching position in 1935 was in a one-room schoolhouse in Akeley, Minn. In 1936, she moved to and taught in Sandstone. On Oct. 19, 1940, Alta married Elmer T. Johnson in Proctor. After Elmer and Alta married, she devoted her life to raising their five children.
Alta was a member of Salem Covenant Church and the Martha Circle. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, Trinity Chapter 242 D.E.S. since 1936. She was a member of the Three Lakes Development Association, AARP, SOAR and the Wally Byam Air Streamers. For many years she was a Girl Scout leader and enjoyed scouting. Alta and Elmer wintered in Mesa, Ariz. for 25 years until 1996. Alta’s greatest joy came from her time at the family cabin on Lake Elora in the company of her beloved husband, children and grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband Elmer T. in 1996, her parents, and a brother Charlie Bennett.
She is survived by daughters Barbara (Richard) Kolu of Canyon, Darilyn (Daniel) Ronn of Ely, Bev L. Johnson of Duluth, and Marlene (David) Kettula of Frederic, Wis., a son Richard J. (Debbie) Johnson of Kalamazoo, Mich., grandchildren Jody Johnson (Rich) Turek, Abraham Kolu, Mariah Ronn (Tyler) Wirth, Julie Johnson, Becky Ronn (Jason) Crane, Maia Kolu, Rachel Ronn, Branden Johnson, Jenna Johnson, Tasha Kettula and Sadie Kettula, a sister Joyce (Emory) Herendeen, many nieces and nephews, and a great-grandchild to be born in November.
Burial was in Oneota Cemetery. Arrangements were made by Bell Brothers Funeral Directors.
Margaret J. Williams-Lamb
Roger Lamb and Donna Brewer of Saginaw are mourning the loss of their mother, Margaret J. Williams-Lamb. She died Sun., Sept. 2, 2001 after a brief illness. She was 77.
The Culver resident was born in Superior. Margaret was involved in community education in AlBrook. She was also involved in Faith Lutheran Church in Bible study, the cribbage club, and chaired the W.E.L.C.A. committee.
She was a teacher’s aide for Alborn Elementary School and retired as a secretary from Alborn Elementary School.
She was a member of the Culver Women’s Club, Culver quilters, RSVP birthday club and AARP.
Margaret is also survived by her husband Leonard “Bud” Lamb, Jr., ten other children, a daughter-in-law Dorothy of Saginaw, numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, a brother, and several nieces and nephews.
Interment was in Industrial Cemetery, Industrial Township.
Harold C. Newman
Linda Lundgren of Proctor is mourning the death of her father, Harold C. Newman. The Barnum resident died Sat., Sept. 1, 2001 in Moose Lake of asbestosis. He was 80.
Newman, who worked for the Holiday Station in Proctor, was born in Barnum. He was a lifelong Barnum resident. Harold was a Navy veteran of World War II and has worked for Moose Lake Cooperative, Chefs Cafe of Moose Lake, and Johnson Supply of Duluth. He married Violet Harriet Hoppe on Oct. 3, 1943, in Barnum.
He was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church and Moose Lake American Legion Post.
Other survivors include his son, two grandsons, seven siblings, two sisters-in-law, and many nieces and nephews.
Inurnment was in Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis. Arrangements were made by Bell Brothers Funeral Directors.
George Louis Kloepfel
Services were held earlier in the week for George Louis Kloepfel of Proctor. He died Sat., Sept. 8, 2001 in Duluth. He was 89.
George, better known to his family as “Boppy”, was born in Duluth. He attended Denfeld High School and Duluth Teachers College. He married Florence Ellefson Jan. 10, 1942. They were married for 52 years until her death in 1996. A veteran of World War II, he served with the Army in France and Japan. After the war, he worked as a letter carrier while continuing his education.
After retiring from the Postal Service and completing a degree in business from the University of Minnesota Duluth, he worked for the State of Minnesota Sales Tax Compliance Office. Upon retirement from the State of Minnesota, George continued doing tax work from his home. He enjoyed spending time in Sun City, Ariz., and at the cabin at Caribou Lake. He was an avid golfer and enjoyed watching baseball and other professional sports. George loved accordion music and enjoyed dancing the polka. He was continually learning and had a keen interest in life. He was a quiet and reserved man who loved and cared deeply for his family, and was loved, respected and cared for by his children in the same way.
He was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Proctor, the Letter Carrier Association, and groups in Sun City.
He is survived by daughters Karen (Garry) Hawkinson of Proctor, Kaye (Geoffrey) Eckstrom of Hermantown, granddaughters Heather Hawkinson of Proctor and Angela Eckstrom of St. Paul, a sister Louise Dahlin of Port Charlotte, Fla., a very special companion Viola Peterson of Duluth, and several nieces and nephews.
Burial will be in Oneota Cemetery at a later date. Arrangements were made by Bell Brothers Funeral Directors.
