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BETSY J. MANN
Betsy J. Mann, 67, of Cook died Saturday, Dec. 15, 2001, in her residence, surrounded by family, after a courageous 5-year battle with cancer.
She is survived by her husband, Robert; daughters Debbie (Bruce) Maki of Britt and Diane (Alan) Brunner of Cook; a brother, Fritz (Jean) Geyerman of Mitchell, S.D.; a sister, Ginger (Bud) Heiam of Mitchell; and three grandchildren.
PRIVATE FAMILY GRAVESIDE SERVICE: 1 p.m. Tuesday in Hillside cemetery, Angora. Arrangements by Mlaker Funeral Home, Cook.
JOSEPHINE ERICKSON
Josephine Erickson, 87, of Hibbing died Saturday, Dec. 15, 2001, in University Medical Center-Mesabi.
She was born Jan. 10, 1914, in Chisholm to John and Josephine (Flajnik) Koslucher. She married
Arnold Erickson in 1932, and had worked for the U.S. Postal Service as a rural mail carrier. She was a member of St. Leo's Church.
Josephine was preceded in death by her husband, Arnold, in 1983; brothers Frank and Bill Koslucher; and a sister, Helen Koslucher Grenick.
She is survived by her sons, Bill Erickson of Hibbing and Col. Ian Erickson of Fort Leavenworth, Kan.; daughters Yvonne (Alfred) McComber of White Bear Lake, Minn., Lois Bayliss of Aitkin and Nancy Jean (Ed) Pajunen of St. Paul; brothers John (Margaret) and Martin (Peggy) Koslucher, both of Hibbing; 18 grandchildren; 64 great-grandchildren; and 16 great-great-grandchildren.
Visitation: 6-8 p.m. Tuesday with 7 p.m. parish wake prayers in Dougherty Funeral Home, Hibbing. Mass of Christian burial at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday in St. Leo's Catholic Church, Hibbing, the Rev. James Hauver officiating. Burial in Maple Hill cemetery. Pallbearers are Mick, Tim, Chris and Jed McComber, Mike Bayliss and Don Schnortz.
HILDA L. NORGARD
Hilda L. Norgard, 92, longtime Trout Lake area resident, died Saturday, Dec. 15, 2001, in Itasca Nursing Home, Grand Rapids.
Born Nov. 15, 1909, in Kuortane, Finland, she was the daughter of John and Lydia Kangas. She immigrated to the United States in 1910, and lived in Calumet for a short time before moving to the Trout Lake area. She attended Trout Lake schools, was a member of the Bethel-Trinity Lutheran Church of Bovey, and a former member of the Trout Lake Home Extension Club, Itasca Finnish Club, and for a short time, served as the clerk of Trout Lake Township.
Hilda and John Norgard were married
on June 11, 1929. They purchased their farm in Trout Lake on May 1, 1930, and lived there until three years ago.
She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Lydia Kangas; sisters Hanna Mallum, Helga Cyronek and Helen Cyrus; and brothers John F., Wayne, William, Walter and Wilbert Kangas.
Survivors include her husband, John; children Raymond (Gloria) Norgard of Winnebago, Minn., Elaine (Ralph) Waisanen of Coleraine, Howard Norgard of Trout Lake, Leona (Don) Litchke of Grand Rapids and Dennis (Anne) Norgard of Pink Hill, N.C.; 18 grandchildren; 38 great-grandchildren; six great-great-grandchildren; and sisters Helmie (Ainar) Salo of Hibbing and Hattie (Robert) Coatsworth of Grand Rapids.
Visitation: 1 until the 2 p.m. service Tuesday in Bethel-Trinity Church, Bovey. Interment in Trout Lake Community cemetery. Arrangements by Peterson Funeral Chapel, Coleraine.
BERT E. OLSON
Bert E. Olson of Deer River died Sunday, Dec. 16, 2001, in Waterville, Minn.
He is survived by his children, Jennifer, Jeanne, Bert Jr., Jill, Joel, Jamie, Joyce, Ericka, Jaqueline and Jeff; 29 grandchildren; 6 great-grandchildren; a brother and a sister.
Visitation: Noon until the 1 p.m. memorial service Wednesday in Carroll Funeral Home, Deer River.
EDWIN H. SUIHKONEN
Edwin H. Suihkonen, 84, of Duluth, formerly of Embarrass, died Friday, Dec. 14, 2001, in Park Rapids, Minn.
He was born Feb. 14, 1917, in Embarrass to Jacob and Maria (Lehtinen) Suihkonen. He grew up and attended school in Embarrass. Edwin was an Army veteran, having served as a combat rifleman in the African Theatre during World War II. He earned three Bronze Stars and was awarded the Purple Heart. Following his discharge, he made his home in Duluth.
Edwin was preceded in death by his brothers, Eino, Arthur, Jack and Sigvert; a sister, Mayme Syrjanen; and his parents.
He is survived by a sister, Lillian Degan of Virginia; nieces Janet (James) Lustig of Virginia, Loretta (George) Nelson of Yuma, Ariz., Linda Conan of Seattle and Deanna (Oren) Salo of San Clemente, Calif.; and a nephew, Ronald (Barbara) Suihkonen of Safety Harbor, Fla.
Visitation: 1 until the 2 p.m. service Tuesday in Range Funeral Home, Virginia. Flag presentation accorded by Yoki-Bergman American Legion Post 220 of Mountain Iron. Burial in Embarrass cemetery.
RAYMOND J. JONES
Raymond J. Jones, 76, of Ranier, Minn., died Thursday, Dec. 13, 2001, in St. Mary's Medical Center, Duluth.
Survivors include his wife, Joan; sons Paul and Tom Jones; daughters Kasey Hill and Mary Sue Morgan; and 11 grandchildren.
Visitation: 6-8 p.m. today in Green-Larsen Mortuary Inc., International Falls. Service at 11 a.m. Tuesday in St. Thomas Catholic Church, International Falls. Burial at 1 p.m. Wednesday in Fort Snelling National cemetery.
CLIFFORD REYNOLDS
Clifford Reynolds, 71, of International Falls died Sunday, Dec. 16, 2001, in International Falls.
Survivors include his wife, Bernice; son Thomas; daughters Nancy Bahr and Patsy (Doug) Moss; grandchildren Jennie, Suzie and Bobby Moss, Brian Bahr and Jenna Bielic.
Visitation: 1 until the 2 p.m. service Wednesday in Faith United Church of Christ, International Falls. Burial in Forest Hill cemetery. Arrangements by Green-Larsen Mortuary Inc.
WILLIAM A. McKIBBON
William A. McKibbon, 92, of Esko passed away Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2001, in Cloquet Community Memorial Hospital.
A complete obituary will appear in Thursday's edition of this paper. Arrangements by Barr Brothers-Handevidt Funeral Home, Cloquet.
LORRAINE ARDELL SAMSON
Lorraine Ardell Samson, 80, of Chisholm died Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2001.
She is survived by sons Robert (Sue), Dale (Sue), Jim (Nancy) and Gary (Sue); seven grandchildren; a brother; a sister; a sister-in-law; and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation: Noon until the 1 p.m. service Friday in First Lutheran Church, Hibbing. Interment in Lakeview cemetery, Coleraine. Arrangements are with Dougherty Funeral Home of Hibbing.
GREGORY PETER HOLENKO
Gregory Peter Holenko, 42, of International Falls died Saturday, Dec. 15, 2001, in International Falls.
Survivors include his mother, Eileen Holenko; a brother, Tony Holenko; and sisters Susann and Ann Holenko.
ROSARY:10 until the 11 a.m. service Thursday in St. Thomas Catholic Church, International Falls. Arrangements by Green-Larsen Mortuary, Inc. of International Falls.
NIIGAHNII GWUHNE'YAUSH (LEADING FEATHER) LESTER JOSEPH "JACK" BRIGGS JR.
Lester Joseph Briggs, Jr., (Jack), 53, of Sawyer, Cloquet and International Falls, began his journey to the spirit world, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2001, in his home, surrounded by his family and close friends.
Jack was born Sept. 18, 1948, to Lester Joseph and Rhoda Cecelia (St. John) Briggs in Duluth. The family moved from Sawyer to International Falls in 1950. Jack was an enrolled member of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. Jack and his wife, Debbie, lived many years in International Falls, where Jack graduated from Rainy River Community College and later from Bemidji State University. Jack was currently the president of Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College.
In 1987, Jack was asked to come to Cloquet to direct the vision and development of Fond du Lac Community College. In 1989, Jack became the first president of the college, and was the only president in the history of the college. Jack's leadership and personal touch was vital to the outstanding success of the college, and the difference he made in so many people's lives will remain unmatched.
Prior to working at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, Mr. Briggs served as regional director for the Arrowhead Community Colleges System's Services to Indian People Program, Indian Education coordinator for Independent School District 361 in International Falls, and American Indian student adviser and planning adviser at Rainy River Community College. Before his career in education, Jack was proud of his construction work with the late Frank T. Baron, general contractor.
Mr. Briggs was active in community service, participating as a member of numerous national, state, tribal, and local advisory boards. He recently completed a term as chairman of the Board of Directors of the American Indian College Fund, and was treasurer of the Presidents' Council of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium.
Mr. Briggs was twice named American Indian Administrator of the Year by the Minnesota Indian Education Association, and received the Distinguished Service Award from the president of the Arrowhead Community Colleges. He earned an undergraduate degree at Bemidji State University, and was candidate for a doctorate at the University of Minnesota. Jack also completed a certificate program through the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard University.
Jack loved to hunt and fish on Rainy Lake, and spend time with his family, especially his kids and grandbabies. Jack also loved his students and extended family in Indian education across the nation.
Jack was preceded in death by his father, Lester; a sister, Margaret; and a brother, David.
He is survived by his wife, Debbie; mother Rhoda of International Falls; his children, Jodie of Minneapolis, Angela (Paul) Schwartz of International Falls, Charity (Orlando) Gallardo of Denver, Benjamin (Trisha) of Cloquet and Makoonse (Kathy) of Palm Bay, Fla.; his precious grandchildren, Alex, Madison, Anah, Megan, Gabriella, Alejandra, Ariana, Chesna and Mateo; brothers Stephen (Diane) of International Falls and Thomas (Judy) of LaCrosse, Wis.; sisters Janice (David) Paczkowski and Kathy (Chris Rognerud) Briggs; and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.
WAKE:beginning at 4 p.m. Thursday in the new Sawyer Community Center. Visitation will be from 9 until the 11 a.m. service Friday in Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College. Interment with gravesite services will be held Saturday in Forest Hills cemetery, International Falls.
The family prefers memorials to the Jack and Debbie Briggs Scholarship Fund at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, 2101 14th St., Cloquet, MN, 55720.
Arrangements entrusted to Northland Funeral Home, 801 14th St., Cloquet.
