Obituaries

George Steven (Steve) Isbell of Ely, MN died December 28, 2019 in North Liberty, IA while visiting family for Christmas.

Steve was born September 21, 1947 to Charles Marion Isbell and Marion Waldorf Isbell in Vinton, IA. He was the second of eight children.

He graduated from Washington High School in Vinton, IA in 1965, becoming an electrical apprentice at age seventeen and was both a residential and commercial journeyman electrician foremen and a member of IBEW local 405 until his retirement.

Steve joined the Marine Reserves for six years at age eighteen and was a Veteran.

Marjorie D. Trembath, 86, of Ely, passed away at the Cook Nursing Home on January 30, 2020.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 11 a.m. First Lutheran Church in Ely with visitation one hour prior. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Arthur R. Skantz (Art), author of the memoir “A Kid from Ely,” died on January 26, 2020, having been surrounded by family in his last weeks. A private family service was held immediately after his death and an open house celebration of his life will be held on February 29 for friends and family to share memories (details below).

Judith “Susie” May Dargontina died at Brookdale Memory Care January 29, 2020 following a long battle with dementia. She was 73.

Susie was born on May 9, 1946 in Ely, MN to her parents, Steven and Rose Pluth. She graduated from Ely Memorial High School in 1964, and Pine City Technical and Community College in 1966. She married Albert Dargontina in 1969. She lived and worked in Ely as an administrative assistant for the Ely Medical Center. Susie worked for the State of Minnesota for more than 25 years with positions at Vermilion Community College and the MN Department of Revenue. During that time, she also enjoyed teaching Community Education classes at VCC, specializing in early versions of Microsoft Office. Susie was a patient and supportive teacher with a passion for computer literacy in older adults. She retired in 2010 and spent her remaining time in Ely with the Ely Klown Band, the Lutheran Church Choir, and counting money at the Ely Area Credit Union.

Robert Matson, 71, of Ely, passed away on Monday, January 27, 2020 at the Boundary Waters Care Center in Ely. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Helga O. Stalcar, Elk River, passed peacefully on Jan. 28 at age 90.
She was born in Eberbach, Germany, to Anton and Sophie Roos. She came to America in April 1954 to visit her sister. Helga met Jack A. Stalcar in Ely, Minn. and they were married 27 days later, on May 24, 1954. After Jack’s death in 1987, Helga moved to Elk River to be closer to her children.
Helga was predeceased by her husband, Jack, son, Tony, grandson, Nathan, her parents and three siblings.
She is survived by her children, Jack, Mike (Julia), Tom (Ann), Margie Church (Ed), Jim (LeAnne) and Heidi Starkman (Mike) all of Minneapolis, 10 grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, brother, Anton, and sister, Luiese, in Germany.
Services for Helga will be held Monday, Feb. 3 at 12:30 at St. Andrew Catholic Church, 566 Fourth St. NW, Elk River. Visitation at the church from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Private burial in Ely. Arr.

Joyce (Ball) Skeryanc, 88, of Ely passed away on Tuesday, January 28, 2020 at the Boundary Waters Care Center in Ely.

Joyce was born March 4, 1931 in Crandon, Wisconsin the daughter of the late Emery & Dallie Ball.

She married Joseph Skeryanc of Ely, they spent many wonderful years fishing, hunting & spending time at the shack together, until his death in 1992.

Joyce had various occupations in her life, but spent most of her time doing what was most important to her, taking care of her family! She was our beloved Granny; baking, cooking & spending time with her children & grand children was what she loved. She also enjoyed doing puzzles, playing Yahtzee & running off to The Bay when she got the chance.

Joyce volunteered at the Ely Food Shelf for many years until walking became difficult this year, preventing her to attend.

Margaret “Peg” Irlbeck

Peg Irlbeck of Pine City passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, January 16th, 2020 at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis at the age of 70.

Peg was born December 15, 1949 in Rochester, Minnesota. At a young age she moved to Morton, Pennsylvania. The family then moved to Ely, Minnesota where she attended school and made many life-long friends. From Ely, she moved to Pine City where she graduated from high school. She met and married her beloved husband and soul mate “Pete.” They were married for 51 years.

Carol Ann Kronfuss passed away on January 8, 2020 in her as of late, hometown of Aurora, Minnesota.
Born in Town of Deer Creek, Taylor County, Wisconsin, on June 3, 1928, to Adam and Mary (Brunner) Schneider, Carol grew up on the family farm in Stetsonville as the youngest of ten children. Here she learned many valuable life lessons from both her immediate and extended families, let alone many treasured memories. Upon completion of secondary school Carol ventured to the city of Milwaukee where she completed nursing studies.

Roberta Ruth Stepan, formerly of Ely, August 9, 1939 - January 7, 2020. Roberta R. (Mattila) Stepan, 80, passed away on Tuesday, January 7, 2020, at Corinth Rehabilitation Suites on the Parkway in Corinth, TX. Born August 9, 1939, in Ely, Minnesota; she was the oldest daughter of the late Robert John Mattila and the late Betty Ruth (Purdy) Mattila. On September 5, 1959, she married Edward Anthony Stepan, who preceded her in death on July 30, 1995. Berta grew up in Ely, Minnesota, about 15 miles from the Canadian border. Her father worked in the iron mines and her mother worked in the ticket office of the Ely Theatre. In her early years they lived in a small 2-bedroom apartment where her mother would fill a washtub with hot water in front of the fire for everyone to take a bath. They lived through the black-outs of World War II, a polio epidemic, and the collapse of the mining tunnels under Shagawa Lake.