Obituaries Archives - Page 2 of 3 - The Tower News

Elizabeth Jean Henderson

Elizabeth Jean Henderson, age 79, passed away Saturday, December 3, 2022, at Essentia Health–Virginia with her family by her side. Liz was born in Duluth to Gloria and Michael Udovich. She was lovingly adopted by Frank and Agnes Skala. Liz spent her childhood years in Tower, and graduated from Tower-Soudan High School in 1961. In her senior year she was involved in Ta-Sa-Ha art editor, mixed chorus, glee club, annual and GAA. After being married she moved to Soudan and […]

Janice E. Haugen

Janice E. Haugen, 81, of Duluth, died Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, in her home, with her family by her side. Janice was born Jan. 14, 1941, at the home of her parents, Henry and Gertie Sunsdahl, in rural Pennington Co., MN. She graduated in 1958, from Goodridge High School. She met the love of her life, Orrin Haugen and they were married on May 9, 1959, at Ekelund Church, in rural Goodridge where she was also baptized and confirmed in […]

Harvey Koski

Harvey Nicholas Koski, 80, of Vermilion Township, rural Tower, MN, passed away on December 3rd, 2020, from complications of the COVID-19 virus. He was born on January 16th, 1940 to Nicholas and Evelyn (Dahl) Koski. Harvey graduated from Embarrass High School in 1958 and then attended the Area Vocational Technical Institute for Automotive Mechanics in Duluth. He worked at the Hillside Garage in Duluth, Ahola Ford in Ely and Karki Ford in Tower. He enlisted in the United States […]

Donald M. Halunen

Donald M. Halunen, age 87, died peacefully on Wednesday, September 13, 2023, surrounded by his loving family in Edgewood Senior Living Community. He was born November 1, 1935 in the Virginia the son of Mathew and Violet (Nakari) Halunen. Don was an honorably discharged veteran of the United States Army. He married JoAnn Jacobson of Eveleth; and they raised three children in Virginia and later moved to Duluth. In his early years, Donald played the drums in a variety […]

Gwendolyn L. Tibbetts

Gwendolyn L. Tibbetts, age 83, longtime resident of Tower died Wednesday, August 11, 2021, at Essentia Health – Virginia. She was born July 1, 1938, in Wheeler, TX, the daughter of Fredrick and Mary (Funston) Newberry. Gwen was united in marriage to William B. Tibbetts, Jr. on August 27, 1958, on Nouasseur AFB, Morocco, Africa. Gwen had an exceptionally big heart and took in and cared for several extended family members as her own. She worked as a Vault Manager […]

Maxine Louise Solberg

Maxine Louise Solberg, age 85, passed away unexpectedly of natural causes at her home in Babbitt on Wednesday, December 29, 2021. Maxine was born on September 11, 1936 to Ethel and Reuben Anderson in Soudan, Minnesota. She was the second of four children. She graduated from Tower-Soudan High School. Following graduation, one of her favorite jobs was working for the State of Minnesota Forestry Department where she had the unique opportunity to name a lake after her. Maxine Lake […]

Shirley L. Rockstad

Shirley Lois Rockstad, age 99, of Ada, MN, died April 27, 2021 at Benedictine Care Community in Ada, where she called home for the past four years. The firstborn to Gust and Petra (Ramstad) Rockstad, Shirley was born April 5, 1922, and raised on the farm west of Ada. She was baptized at Concordia Lutheran, rural Hendrum where she remained a member until transferring to Grace Lutheran, Ada, for the last third of her life. Shirley was confirmed at First […]

Norman Riihiluoma

Norman F. Riihiluoma, 80, of Virginia, MN, passed away on Sunday, June 20, 2021, surrounded by family. Norman was creative, adventurous, had sisu, and lived out his Christian faith. He was a long-time resident of Lake Vermilion and Kugler Township. Norman is survived by his wife Nancy, daughters Tiina (Lyle) Eidelbes and Lizana Riihiluoma, sons Paul (Lisa) Riihiluoma and Charles (Kirstie Kern) Riihiluoma, 12 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren, brother Ray, nieces, nephews, and cousins. Norman was preceded in death by his […]

Roseann V. Redetzke

Roseann V. Redetzke, 88 of Tower, passed away on Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at Vermilion Senior Living in Tower. She was born on November 5, 1932 in Shirland, Illinois, the daughter of Henry and Ruth (ReCoy) Harrington. She resided in Rockford Illinois, where her three children were born. They moved to Tower in 1970, where she owned and operated the Tower Cafe for 10 years. She was united in marriage to Donald Redetzke on December 30, 1982 in Virginia. They […]

Rosemary Jane (Thompson) Palmer

Palmer Rosemary Jane age 95 of Minneapolis (formerly of St. Mark’s Parish in St. Paul). Born in Buhl, MN on the Iron Range. She died on March 26, 2021 during Last Rites with family present. Preceded in death by first husband, Marshall Day Smith who died on the Battle of the Bulge; and husband, Theodore C. Palmer who served in the Coast Guard during WWII. Also preceded in death by grandson, Kyle Palmer. Survived by daughter, Michele Smith (Dennis) and twins, […]

Denise Ann Osterholm

Denise Ann Osterholm, 75, passed on September 21, 2021, at St. Mary’s in Duluth. Denise was born to father, Ragner Axel and mother, Kathryn “Lucy” Lucille (Freeman) Osterholm on May 6, 1946, both deceased. Denise, an Ironwood native spent the last 15 years living in Minnesota. She lived a very vivacious life. She loved to travel to her home in Texas during the long Minnesota winters. She loved music and going to festivals, a skilled guitar player herself, she played […]

Jason Allan Mysliwiec

Jason Allan Mysliwiec, age 48 of Carpentersville, IL died unexpectedly on September 28, 2021. He was born November 4, 1972 in Chicago, the son of Jerry and Tracy (Tomlinson) Mysliwiec. Jason married Kristen McCubbin on July 1, 2018 at the McCubbin Cabin on Eagle’s Nest Lake; and spent most of his life in the Chicago area. He was employed as a driver for Transport America, and loved to help out at his Uncle’s Tower Café. Jason loved the Tower-Soudan area, […]

Carol M. McIntire

Carol Myrtle Boleman Saari McIntire, 83, of Tower, a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend, passed away peacefully to the heavenly realm while at Essentia Health in Virginia on Wednesday, April 7, 2021. A memorial service will be held at a later date with a visitation to be held prior to the service at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Tower. Born on December 18, 1937 in Osceola, Wisconsin, Carol received her Bachelor’s Degree in Education from St. Cloud […]

William 'Bill' Lilya

William ‘Bill’ Lilya

William “Bill” Lilya, age 90 of Virginia and formerly of Soudan, died Saturday, October 24, 2020 in Vermilion Senior Living. Memorial Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 18, 2021 at St. Martin’s Catholic Church in Tower. A gathering time for family and friends will begin one hour prior to the service at the Church. Inurnment will take place n the Lakeview Cemetery in Tower. Family services provided by Bauman-Vermilion, A Bauman Family Funeral Home in Tower. […]

Alan 'Al' Kittelson

Alan ‘Al’ Kittelson

Alan “Al” Duane Kittelson, age 63 of Virginia, died Tuesday, October 12, 2021 in Virginia. He was born in Albert Lea, and grew up in Lafayette, IN and Schaumburg, IL. He was mostly known for his sense of humor and his love of the Northwoods. His favorites were bird watching on the lake, fishing, and his old Jeep named “Mule”. His professions were many and included house painting, working at Fortune Bay, Walmart in Pine City, and Minntac. Al will […]

Donna K. Hill

Donna K. Hill, age 88, lifelong resident of Soudan died Friday, April 9, 2021, at The Waterview Pines in Virginia. She was born in Soudan, the daughter of Ernest and Mary (Belehar) Branwall. She was a graduate of Tower-Soudan High School. A veteran of the US Air Force, Donna served during the Korean War, and was Honorably Discharged on April 8, 1954. Donna was united in marriage to James A. Hill on March 4, 1955, at the Lutheran Church in […]

Marilyn Eales

Marilyn Eales, age 92, died suddenly but peacefully on October 25, 2021 in Greenville, N.C. Marilyn was born on Sept. 1, 1929 in Soudan, MN, the youngest of three children of John and Esther Helstrom. She was born and raised in Tower / Soudan, graduating from the Tower High School in 1947. Just shy of 16 years of age, her first date was a blind date (nervously permitted by her parents) on the occasion of V.J. Day in […]

Janice Ann Bagwell

Jan Bagwell, 83, of Eastland, passed peacefully from this life on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 at her home. Holy Mass will be at 12:00 PM, Wednesday, November 3, 2021, at St. Rita’s Catholic Church, Ranger, Texas. Burial will follow at Evergreen Cemetery, Ranger, Texas. Arrangements are under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home of Eastland. Janice Ann Stepan was born on June 3, 1938, to Anton Stepan and Ann Pauline Bobence in Soudan, Minnesota. She was a graduate of Tower-Soudan […]

James Jay Ayers

Born September 1, 1948, in Inglewood, California, to Harold Eugene and Geraldine Virginia (Miles) Ayers. Died March 26 in Bentonville, Arkansas. Between those two events, he lived. Growing up in southern California, Jim enjoyed surfing and meeting girls. He also played golf and tennis, and learned to fly. He graduated from Sierra High School in Whittier. In 1972 he moved to northern Minnesota to become part owner of Bay View Lodge, a fishing resort on Lake Vermilion. He spent a […]

Terry Allen Anderson

Terry Allen Anderson, age 80, passed away January 2nd at Care Free Living in Ely after a long fight with COPD. He was born in the Soudan Hospital on November 16th, 1943 to Ellen (Marttila) Anderson while her husband Gilbert “Pela” Anderson was overseas with the 116th Naval Construction Battalion in World War Two. Ellen named the child after U.S. Army General Terry Allen who was often in the news in 1943 during the North African and Italian campaigns of […]

Mary L. Juhl

Mary L. Juhl, 76, of Tower passed away Saturday, February 13, 2021. She was born on August 8, 1944 in Buffalo Center, Iowa to Ervin and Elizabeth (Stowe) Halvorson and grew up in Rake, Iowa. Mary received her Bachelor’s Degree from Luther College and her Master’s Degree in Psychology from St. Mary’s College. On July 8, 1967 she married John Juhl in Rake, Iowa and helped found the family business, Jaytech, where she worked as an advisor in the […]

Grace Cherne

Grace Cherne passed away on November 25, 2022 at the Boundary Waters Care Center in Ely, MN. Grace (Gracie) was born on August 13, 1921. Grace grew up in Tower, MN but spent most of her life in Ely, MN. Her parents were John and Mabel (Thomas) Axelson. She was preceded in death by her husband, Frederic Cherne; her first husband, Louis Erzar; her parents; four sisters; Doris (Matt) Vaida, Gladys (Charles) Tekautz, Florence (Tony) Bartovich, Nancy Gihl, and one […]

James Frederick Charles

James Frederick Charles, 100, formerly of Tower, passed away Monday, June 5, 2023 at Lake Minnetonka Shores Assisted Living in Spring Park, MN. James F. Charles was born on May 5, 1923 in Minneapolis, MN and graduated from West High School in 1941. He was a member of the Civilian Conservation Corps at Camp 702 at Bena, MN and was proud of the many Norway pines he planted in that area. He enlisted in the Navy in November, 1942, with […]

Gerald ‘Gerry’ Salo

Gerald “Gerry” Salo, 85, of Tower, Minn. passed away peacefully in his sleep on Friday, September 2, 2022 at his son Darrel’s house in Red Wing. Gerry was born on February 24, 1937 in Embarrass, Minn. to Francis and Lila (Maki) Salo. He graduated high school and joined the Navy. After the Navy, Gerry married Kathy Pucel and together they had three children; Darrel (Dollie) Salo, Terry Salo and Debra (Chris) Hedin. Kathy passed away in 1986. Gerry later married […]