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Dominick A. Riggio
John Riggio is saddened by the death of his brother, Dominick A. Riggio. He succumbed to cancer Thurs., Nov. 6, in his Duluth home. He was 88.
He immigrated from Italy to Duluth in 1921. He attended Duluth schools. He worked for the Diamond Caulk and Horseshoe Co., Coolerator Co., and retired from the U.S.S. Duluth Works after more than 30 years of employment in the transportation department. He married his wife Marie DeBrito on Sept. 4, 1937, in Dilworth, Minn. He was a past member of the Duluth Musicians Association.
He is also survived by his loving wife Marie, a sister, a son, a daughter, seven grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
Burial was at Calvary Cemetery.
Richard L. (Dick) Baril
Richard L. (Dick) Baril, who worked for the DM&IR as a conductor and brakeman for 35 years, retiring in 1986, died in his Lewiston, Idaho home on Veterans' Day, Nov. 11, 2003, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. He was 77.
He was born Nov. 22, 1925, to Louis and Laura (Demarais) Baril in Crookston, Minn. He grew up and attended schools in Crookston. Dick joined the U.S. Navy and served aboard a hospital ship in the Medic Corp from 1943 to 1946. He served again from 1951 to 1952 aboard the USS Maury as a Pharmaceutical Mate, 2nd Class. He was also in the US Naval Reserves for 20 years, retiring in 1981. Upon completing his military service he moved to Proctor, where he worked for DM&IR. After retiring, he and his wife Marie moved to Lewiston, Idaho, where they lived on the 18th fairway of the Lewiston Country Club. He returned to Minnesota each summer, including the summer of 2003, to visit family and friends from his days on the railroad. He was a member of the Lewiston Country Club, American Legion and Moose Clubs, and the Fleet Reserve Association.
He is survived by daughter Brenda Wahner of Lewiston, stepdaughters Beverly Davis (Jerry) Cran of Duluth, Dianne Davis Dmohowski of Ohio, Sandy Davis (Russell) Hoglund of Esko and Cindy Davis (Jim) Senske of No. Dak., brothers Louie (Marie) Baril of Duluth and Jerry (Delores) Baril of Calif., sisters Bernie (John) Howlett of Crookston and Patty (Curt) Demarais of Texas, 12 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
Burial will be at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in St. Paul, Minn. at a later date.
Jeremy Daniel Martin
Services were held yesterday for Jeremy Daniel Martin. The Saginaw resident died, Sat., Nov. 15, 2003, in a Duluth hospital. He was 17.
He was born in Manila, Philippines, to Richard and Brenda (Matheson) Martin. He was employed as a laborer for his father in Saginaw. At the time of his death he was working on joining the Army.
Survivors included his parents Rick and Brenda Martin of Saginaw, sisters Sarah Martin of San Diego, Calif., Anaik Martin (Roger Lasky) of Saginaw, Angela Martin of Monterey, Calif., Heather Martin of San Diego, Calif., and Laura Martin of Duluth; brothers Chris (Kelly Duncan) of Saginaw, Sam (Jenny Dahlgren) of Duluth, Gideon of Saginaw, and Abner of Duluth; grandparents Gloria and Stitch Martin of Duluth, nephew Jacob Martin, foster brother and sister James and Marcy Myers, several aunts, uncles and cousins.
Gerhart L. Erikson
Gerhart L. Erikson, who survived the 1918 fire, died Wed., Oct. 29, 2003, in Duluth. He was 91.
He was born in Duluth, the son of Jorgen and Liva Erikson. He attended the (former) Jackson School. He married Lucille Zwack in 1941. They lived in the Pike Lake area for many years. Upon retirement from the Northeast Regional Correction Center, they wintered in Tucson, Ariz. Gerhart enjoyed time with his family, fishing, camping and golfing. He was a member of Pike Lake Presbyterian Church.
He is survived by his wife Lucille of Proctor, son Laird (Barb) Erikson of Pike Lake, daughters Karen (John) Moran of Pike Lake and Kathy (Steve) Lusk of Brainerd, eight grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
Interment was at Sunrise Memorial Park.
Thomas Bernard
Services will be held Fri., Nov. 21, for Thomas 'Elijah' Bernard of Lakeside Manor, formerly of Proctor. He died Mon., Nov. 17, 2003, in a Duluth hospital at the age of 73.
He was born on Feb. 4, 1930 to Milford and Emeline Bernard in Duluth. Tom was a 1947 graduate of Proctor High School and was a star pitcher in high school. He served with the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict. Tom attended the Duluth State Teachers College. He worked for DM&IR Railroad as a machinist.
He is survived by his daughters Donna Smith of New Brighton and Nancy (Brian) Peterson of Mich., brothers James (Mary) of Golden Valley and Dr. John (Florence) of New York, three grandsons, and four nephews.
Visitation will be from 1 until the 2 p.m. services Friday in Bell Brothers Chapel, 601 N. 56th Ave. West. Burial will be in Oneota Cemetery.
David A.R. Thorsvik
David B. Thorsvik of Proctor is mourning the death of his grandson David A.R. Thorsvik. He died Wed., Nov. 12, 2003, in Tacoma, Wash. He was 18.
He was a longtime Duluth resident and current resident of Oak Harbor, Wash. David was born in Duluth.
David is also survived by his father David A. Thorsvik, his mother Lisa M. Whitestone, a sister, a brother, two half-brothers, paternal grandparent Mary L. Stebner of Hermantown, maternal grandparents, and his great-grandfather.
Private family services were held.
Willard James Bijold
Willard James Bijold, who was born in Proctor and was a lifelong resident, died Fri., Nov. 21, 2003, in Minnesota Veterans Home, Silver Bay where he had been a resident since February. He was 84.
He was born at home to Bernard J. and Mary Anne (Gauthier) Bijold. He was a U.S. Army veteran of WW II and had been an employee of Duluth Missabe and Iron Range Railway for over 35 years, retiring as chief clerk. He was a member of St. Rose Catholic Church, Proctor, West Duluth American Legion Post No. 71, Proctor Moose Lodge No. 1302, AARP, NARVRE, DM&IR Veteran Employees Assn. and the Jack Meade Gun Club. Willard enjoyed hunting, fishing, his cabin at Aerie Lake and traveling across the U.S. with his companion Evelyn Mortinsen.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Irene in 1995, seven brothers and a sister.
In addition to his longtime loving companion Evelyn Mortinsen of Proctor, Willard is survived by sisters Rosetta M. Shea of Prior Lake and Rita M. (Walter) Silvers of Duluth, several nieces and nephews, and his toy poodle 'Little Bit'.
Services were held Tuesday in St. Rose Catholic Church, Proctor, Rev. Fr. James Bissonette officiating. Burial was in Calvary Cemetery, with military honors accorded by the Duluth Combined Honor Guard.
Margaret Helen Berube
Phyllis Colt of Bayview is mourning the death of her mother, Margaret Helen Berube. She died Mon., Nov. 17, 2003, in Phyllis' home at the age of 94.
Margaret was an active member and a volunteer at the Piedmont Heights Senior Center and member of Hillside United Methodist Church.
She is also survived by her son Robert 'Jim' (Molly) of Apple Valley, two other daughters Marjorie 'Sue' Sepolski of Richfield and Cindy (Dan) Backen of Duluth, sisters Ruth Stepan of Moose Lake, Lila LeBlanc and Hazel Moe, both of Duluth, 12 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.
Services were held in Forbes United Methodist Church, Proctor. Burial was at Bethany Cemetery.
Richard K. Saarela
Richard K. Saarela, a well known former Proctor High School teacher and coach who enjoyed working with young people, died Sat., Nov. 29, 2003, in his Proctor home. He was 68.
Dick was born in Pike Township, Minn. on April 16, 1935, to Daniel and Helia (Kopponen) Saarela. He was a graduate of Embarrass High School, and received his Bachelor's and M.E. degrees in Education from UMD. He was a member of St. Rose Catholic Church, the Proctor Lions Club, Minn. Coaches Association, and is acknowledged in the Cross-Country Coaches Hall of Fame. Dick was an avid outdoorsman, and enjoyed his Canadian ice fishing trips.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and sisters Lillian King and Florence Nelson.
Survivors include his wife Alice (Donovan), sons Rick (Kirsten) and Scott (Kerry), four grandchildren, four brothers, a sister, his mother-in-law, a brother-in-law, and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be today, Thurs., Dec. 4, in St. Rose Catholic Church from 9 a.m. until the 10 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial. Interment will be in the Ely Municipal Cemetery.
Donald Dean Blauert
Donald Dean Blauert lost his two-year battle with cancer on Sat., Nov. 29, 2003. He was 51.
The Culver resident was born in Virginia, Minn., to Henry and Lillian Blauert. He was raised in Aurora, Minn., and graduated from Aurora-Hoyt Lakes High School in 1970. Don married Lorrie Segel in 1994 in Red Lodge, Mont. In 1972, he began his 31-year career with the DM&IR Railway, working as a welder and crane operator, retiring in January 2002, on account of the cancer. He enjoyed his years as a railroad man and was known well for his talent in creating whatever anyone needed out of steel. He was also very active in the railroad safety programs, was president, vice president, and director of the DM&IR Veteran Employees' Association, and was president of the union, the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees for many years. Don was involved in softball, bowling, and karate in his earlier years and more recently golfed on the Proctor Tuesday Night Gold League, played pool for Flip's Bar (the Pit Stop) and the Clip Joint, and was in the Horseshoe League at the Clip Joint. He enjoyed deer hunting and duck hunting.
Don is survived by his wife Lorrie, son Christopher of Duluth, daughter Michelle, special son-in-law Richard Pizzulo and grandson Payton Pizzulo of Mobile, Ala., parents Henry and Lillian Blauert of Aurora, brother Thomas (Margie) Blauert of Cloquet, sisters Barbara (Tony) Plattner of Aurora and Carla (Darrel) Starken of Hoyt Lakes, sisters-in-law Linda Bucaro of Illinois, Heidi Segel of Munger, and Tammy (David) Crilly of Minneapolis, aunts Florence Hill of Aurora, Ethel Talbot of Two Harbors, Bertha Strom of Detroit Lakes and Marion (Alfred) Bachman of Frazee, nine nieces, six nephews, a great-niece, two great-nephews, and his little girls, Josie and her Pussycat.
Clara Catherine LeBlanc
Services were held at St. Rose Catholic Church Fri., Nov. 28, for Clara 'Clare' Catherine LeBlanc, formerly of Earl St., Duluth. She died Sun., Nov. 23, 2003, in Sunrise Home of Two Harbors at the age of 79.
Clare was born in Duluth to Jacob and Mary Halkins. She was a 1942 graduate of Morgan Park High School. She married Herbert J. LeBlanc in 1946 in Duluth. Clare worked as a telephone operator in Proctor, and later at St. Mary's and St. Luke's Hospitals and Duluth Air Base. Clare was a current member of Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Two Harbors and a former member of St. Rose Catholic Church in Proctor. She was a member of the Proctor Women of the Moose Chapter 585, Legion of Mary, and Animal Allies.
Clare was preceded in death by her husband Herbert (1996), and five siblings.
Survivors include daughters Linda (Michael) Hoffman of Two Harbors and Brenda (John) Hadrich of Duluth, sons Herbert LeBlanc of Wrenshall, Michael LeBlanc of Duluth, Fred (Laurel) LeBlanc of St. Paul and Scott 'Romen' (Gail) LeBlanc of Calif., and 13 grandchildren.
Burial was in Oneota Cemetery.
Philip Clock
Philip Clock, 86, of Proctor, died Friday, November 28, 2003 in St. Luke's Hospital.
He was born in Slayton, Minn on December 27, 1916 to Wyman and Margaret Clock. He was a World War II Army Veteran Following his service, he moved to Duluth where he built campers for trucks, worked with sheet metal and currently was a cook at the Country Lanes Bowling Alley.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, James and Norman and his wife, Catherine in 1957.
He is survived by a daughter, Marilyn Clock of Orlando, Fla; a son, George (missing person since 1994); a sister, Bernice Krusemark of Slayton, Minn; six nieces and nephews.
Memorial service will be 11 a.m. Friday in Bell Brothers Chapel.
Mary Ellen Peterson Johnson
Mary Ellen Peterson Johnson, a member of the PHS Class of '38, died on Sun., Nov. 23, 2003, in Niles, Ill.
Born to Alfred and Mary (Jeffrey) Peterson, early Proctor residents, Mary played in the high school band and was active in Forbes Methodist Youth groups. She married Harold Johnson whom she met when she worked in Washington, D.C. during the 1940's. They moved to Chicago where they raised their four children.
She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, five sisters, and three brothers.
Survivors include her daughters Joellen Wienke and Belinda Davis, sons Cullen Johnson and Clay Johnson, a sister Ruth Seeling of Grand Rapids, and a brother Dr. Richard Peterson, DVM of Little Falls, Minn.
