Search Archived Marriage Records
Rev. Violet A. Kochendorfer
The Rev. Violet A. Kochendorfer, of 60th Avenue East, Duluth, died Sunday, July 22, 2001, in St. Mary's Medical Center.
A retired Unitarian minister, Violet was born in Winona, Minn., on Nov. 7, 1912, to Hugo and Mamie (Ziebell) Kochendorfer. She attended Reed College in Portland, Ore., and spent eight months in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps before joining the American Red Cross and serving as director of on-base military service clubs in the European theater for 3 years during World War II. She was with the 82nd Airborne Division when they made the historic crossing of the Elbe, met the Russians, and had the 21st German Army surrender to them as they liberated a concentration camp. She set up a soup kitchen for thousands of starving displaced persons. While in Berlin, Vi had dinner with Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower.
In her retirement years, Vi became a published author. For the 1994 celebration of the 50th Anniversary of D-Day, the University Press of Kentucky published her book, "One Woman's World War II." Her next book, "Santa Fe in the Fifties, " covered her ten years of living in Santa Fe during the early days of Los Alamos. Then Skinner House Books in Boston published "A Modern Pioneer" telling of her being the first woman to graduate from the Unitarian Theological School in Berkeley, Calif., in 1962, and her four ministries in Unitarian churches in Provincetown, Mass., Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Tallahassee, Fla., and Kent, Ohio. Between her Tallahasee and Kent ministries, she was a part-time minister for 6 months at the First Unitarian Church in Duluth.
She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Neil.
She is survived by a brother, Ray of Grand Prairie, Texas; a sister, Dorothy (Frank) Blatnik of Duluth; Dorothy and Frank's children, Brian (Janet) Blatnik, Barbara Blatnik and Michael Blatnik, all of Duluth; Brian and Janet's children, Stephen, Mark, Christopher and Andrea; Neil's children, Margaret Moore of Portland, Ore., and Paul Kochendorfer of Dana Point, Calif.; and Michael's daughter, Alyssa.
Memorial service: 11 a.m. Wednesday in First Unitarian Church, 1802 E. First St., Duluth. Memorials may be made to First Unitarian Church.
John Costa
John Costa, 83, of Gary-New Duluth and also of Riverview Manor in Floodwood, died Saturday, July 21, 2001, in St. Luke's hospital, Duluth.
John was born Oct. 6, 1917, in the Philippines and had been a resident of Gary-New Duluth for many years. He was a U.S. Army Air Corps veteran of World War II (16th Air Detachment) and worked as a Chinese language interpreter. of the Chinese language. He was a retired employee of U.S. Steel Corp.
He had studied anthropology at Berkeley in California, had a major interest in the study of the Minnesota Sioux Indians and was an avid historian.
John is survived by many friends and acquaintances who were enlightened by his conversations with them.
Visitation: 5-7 p.m. Wednesday in Foley Chapel, where a service will be held 1 p.m. Thursday.
Arrangements by Hegstrom Family Funeral Homes, Foley Chapel, 5405 Ramsey St., Duluth, 624-4838.
Emily Sovde
Emily Sovde, 93, of McCulloch Street passed away Thursday, July 19, 2001, in the Franciscan Health Center.
She was born in Tower on May 17, 1908, to Ole and Charlotte (Enquist) Sovde. Emily graduated from MacAllister College with a teaching degree in English. She was a member of Lakeside Presbyterian Church and Rebecca Circle. Emily loved gardening, art, and was an avid reader. She especially enjoyed studying the Bible. She traveled all over the world.
Emily was preceded in death by a brother, Waldemar Sovde; sisters Esther Coleman, Elsie Larson, Adelaid Claffey, Gertrude Sovde and Mildred Sovde.
She is survived by a brother, Kermit Sovde of Duluth; nieces Barbara Tostrup of Duluth and Carol Maddern of Ely; nephews Andrew Larson of Soudan and James Claffey of Hawaii; and many grandnieces and grandnephews.
Service: 10 a.m. Saturday in Lakeside Presbyterian Church. Interment in Forest Hill cemetery. Memorials to Lakeside Presbyterian Church, in lieu of flowers. Arrangements entrusted to Johnson Mortuary.
Laura Lee Graves Winn
Laura Lee Graves Winn, longtime Duluth resident, died peacefully Tuesday, July 17, 2001.
She was born in Minneapolis in March 1915 to Ivan H. and Cynthia Marie Graves. She was a graduate of Katherine Gibbs School in Boston. She married
her childhood sweetheart, George S. Winn, on November 1938, in Boone, Iowa. They moved to Duluth in 1938 where George was a mechanical engineer with Oliver Mining. Laura Lee belonged to St. Paul's Episcopal Church and was a member of the Duluth Women's Club. She was a longtime supporter of the Depot Foundation and the public library. She constantly provided a home for Animal Allies' dogs.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, George, in 1987.
She is survived by daughters Jorja Lee Shuey of Denver and Printha Markert of Duluth; grandsons Chad (Peggy) Markert of Ann Arbor, Mich., Ben (Julie) Markert of Tucson, Ariz., and George Tyler Shuey of Denver; a granddaughter, Alexandra Shuey of Washington, D.C.; a great-grandson, Keegan Markert; and a great-granddaughter, Makena Markert.
Memorial service: 2 p.m. Saturday in St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 1710 E. Superior St. Private graveside services in Lakewood cemetery, Minneapolis. Memorials are preferred to St. Paul's Episcopal Church, the Depot Foundation, Duluth Women's Club, Duluth Public Library Foundation, Animal Allies and Alzheimer's research. Arrangements entrusted to Johnson Mortuary.
Frederick "Fred" Kenneth Tucker
Frederick "Fred" Kenneth Tucker, 62, passed away Wednesday, July 18, 2001, in St. Mary's Hospice after a long illness.
Fred was born March 30, 1939, in Chicago. He moved to Minneapolis in 1989, where he worked at Gloria Dey Shelter and Como Park Zoo. He moved to Duluth in 1998 and married
Delores Williams on March 3, 2000.
He is survived by his wife, Delores; a son, Kenneth of Milwaukee; a stepson, Jay Williams, and a stepdaughter, Ethel Undahl, both of Duluth; five grandchildren; and many friends.
Memorial service: 2:30 p.m. today in Johnson Mortuary, Duluth.
Robert Dunning Butler
Robert Dunning Butler, 78, of Mill Valley, Calif., died Wednesday, July 18, 2001, in Marin General Hospital, Greenbrae, Calif.
Bob was born Nov. 21, 1922, in Duluth to Annabelle (Dunning) and State Senator Gordon H. Butler Sr., who preceded him in death. He was a graduate of Duluth Central High School, attended the University of Minnesota, University of Minnesota Duluth and graduated from the University of California-Berkeley in 1951. Bob served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. He was an insurance broker with Marsh McLennan in San Francisco for many years and then worked with a small insurance firm in San Rafael for several years.
Bob is survived by his sons, Robert D. Jr. of San Bernardino and Charles David (Rita) Butler of Atascadero; brothers Gordon H. (Betty) and John T. (Barbara) of Duluth; seven grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Also surviving is his companion of many years, John Brimmell of Mill Valley.
There are no services planned at this time.
Claire Elizabeth Kreager
Claire Elizabeth Kreager, 86, formerly of St. Ann's Residence died Thursday, July 19, 2001, in Benedictine Health Center.
She was born and grew up in Duluth. Her father, George Kreager, died in 1965, and her mother, Mae Brown Kreager, died in 1962.
Claire was a granddaughter of Chris and Rose Kreager, pioneers who settled in Duluth in 1870. She attended the former St. Anthony Church and school, the Villa Scholastica and Central High School. She graduated from the Business Institute in Detroit and also attended the University of Detroit. She was employed in secretarial work in Detroit and Minneapolis, retiring from the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 1975, after 23 years of service at the regional office in Minneapolis. She then returned to Duluth and lived in St. Ann's Residence for many years following retirement.
She was a member of St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church.
She is survived by a brother, Robert G. (Dorothy) Kreager of Duluth; sisters, Margaret (Jim) O'Neill of Southfield, Mich., Doris (Charles) Wiedman of Carrollton, Ga., Sister Kathryn Kreager, C.H.M., of Davenport, Iowa and Mary (Jim) Bothwell of St. Paul; and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation: 10 until the 11 a.m. Mass of Christian burial Saturday in St. Mary Star of the Sea Church. Burial in Calvary cemetery. Arrangements by Dougherty Funeral Home, 600 E. Second St.
Roy Holt
Roy Holt, 94, formerly of House Street died Monday, July 16, 2001, in Benedictine Health Center.
He was born in Ashland to Fredrick and Hilda Holt and moved to Duluth in 1919. Roy graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1937 with a bachelor's degree in business administration. He served in the Army during World War II. He had worked at A&E; Supply Co., where he retired as general manager in 1965. He had also worked at YoHo Photo Finishing Co. for 10 years and for Minnesota Steel.
He was a member of First Covenant Church and a former member of Salem Covenant Church. Roy, a civic volunteer for more than 50 years, received the 1988 Duluth Hall of Fame Award. He contributed to a number of groups and government panels over the years, including serving as vice chairman for the Board of Zoning Appeals and as president and treasurer of Animal Allies Humane Society. He also served as chairman of the City Planning Commission, as president, secretary and treasurer of the Gary-New Duluth Community Club, as a member of the Citizen's Coalition of Gary-New Duluth and the Spirit Valley Neighborhood Development Association, and on the steering committee of the West Duluth Citizens Community Development Plan. He served as president and treasurer of Goodwill Board of Directors. He also served on the Western Waterfront Trail Committee, Citywide City Pride and Citywide Citizens Advisory Committee.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and his wife, Lillian, in 1990.
Roy is survived by cousins Emily Anderson of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Gust Nordin of Chicago; and special friends Bill and Veronica Elowson of Superior, and Lucille Olsen, Bill Spehar, Marsha Chipman, Will and Alice Highmark, Herb Palmer, Lee Matchett and Lydia Bennett, all of Duluth.
Visitation: 10 until the 11 a.m. service today in First Covenant Church, 2101 W. Second St. Burial in Oneota cemetery. Family prefers memorials directed to Animal Allies Humane Society, 407 W. Michigan St. Arrangements by Bell Brothers Funeral Directors, Bell Brothers Chapel, 601 N. 56th Ave. W.
Helene Knezevich
Helene Knezevich, 73, longtime resident of Gary-New Duluth and more recently of Nopeming died Friday, July 20, 2001, in Nopeming Care Facility.
Helene was born in Duluth July 20, 1928, to Peter and Anga (Dapcevich) Zuber and had been a lifelong resident of the city.
She was a member of the St. George Serbian Orthodox Church and the ladies circle of the church.
Helene was preceded in death by her parents; and brothers John, Dan and Ralph Zuber.
Helene is survived by a daughter, Gina Knezevich Howard of Duluth; sons George Knezevich of Moose Lake and Dushan"Rod" Knezevich of Duluth and Woodbury, Minn.; a brother, Robert Zuber of Superior; sisters Vicky Vukov of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., Marie Erickson of Minneapolis, Dorothy Cole of Tomahawk, Wis., Bady Forsberg of Huntsville, Ala., and their respective spouses; eight grandchildren; many nieces and nephews and their respective spouses.
Visitation: 5-8 p.m. Monday in Foley Chapel with a Pomen service scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday. Funeral service 1 p.m. Tuesday in St. George Serbian Orthodox Church, the Very Rev. Milan Zbiljic and the Very Rev. Slavoljub Pantich officiating. Interment in Oneota cemetery.
Arrangements by Hegstrom Family Funeral Homes, Foley Chapel, 5405 Ramsey St., Duluth, 624-4838.
