Obituaries

Robert “Scott” Seigfreid passed away on Tuesday, March 2, 2021 after a courageous battle with cancer.
Scott was born to Leora (Waller) and Gene Seigfreid on June 30, 1957 in Mankato, MN.
Scott’s passion for wildlife developed early in life when he went trapping and hunting with neighborhood friends.
After graduating from Mankato West High School, Scott furthered his education by attending SCC (North Mankato, MN) and then onto VCC (Ely, MN).
Scott was a VCC student and had a taxidermy business in Ely for a few years. He has many friends in Ely. He was very active in several habitat organizations like the Prairie Enthusiasts. He was also a strong proponent of the Sax-Zim bog Wildlife Management Area.

Darrell Kaye Dowden, 88, of Fairchild, Wisconsin passed away peacefully with his loving family by his side March 7, 2021.
Darrell was born on September 16,1932 in Mondovi, Wisconsin to Fred and Della Dowden.
He is survived by his wife of 66 years, June of Fairchild, Wisconsin, his three daughters: Julie (Tim) Johnson of Northfield, MN, Helene (Dave) Johnson of Ely, MN, Barb (John)Mann of Hugo, MN, and son Dean (Tammie) Dowden of Tower, MN. Five grandchildren: Luke Johnson of Blaine, MN, Ryan Mann of White Bear Lake, MN, Alyssa Soukup of Stillwater, MN, April Toro of Bradenton, Florida and Darrell Dowden of Superior, WI and five great-grandchildren.
Darrell was preceded in death by his parents, his Brothers Lee Dowden and Russ Dowden, and his sisters June Myers and Betty King.
Darrell graduated from Mondovi High School in 1950.
He served in the Navy during the Korean War.

On Monday, March 8, 2021, Seth Michael Paul Nelson, loving father of two, brother, uncle, cousin, and friend of many, passed away at age 43. Seth was born in St Petersburg, Florida to Steven Paul Nelson and Sharon Kay Nelson (Sadle). He grew up in Hanover, Minnesota and graduated from Buffalo High School before continuing to graduate from Vermillion College in Ely Minnesota where he continued to work and raise his family. Seth worked for the United States Forest Service starting in 2002 as an Engine Boss and Incident Commander with wildland fire, and in recent years Timber Sales Administrator. Seth built two homes just outside of Ely and has been blessed with two beautiful daughters, Carmen (14), and June (11).

John R. Harrington, 49, of Ely, passed away on Monday, March 8, 2021 at his residence. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Lorraine V. Huset passed away on March 1, 2021 at Boundary Waters Care Center in Ely.
She was born March 9, 1926 in Prairie Farm, Wisconsin to Henry and Alma Lien.
Raymond and Lorraine were married on Nov 3, 1944 while he was serving in the Army during WWII. In 1954 they moved from Spooner, WI to Babbitt, where Lorraine remained a resident until her move to the BWCC in Ely. Lorraine was employed at BWCC for approximately 20 years serving as an aid and providing care and comfort to the residents there.
Lorraine’s main focus in life remained always in caring for her family and those around her, and it was returned in kind many times over by the wonderful care she received at BWCC the last year of her life. A woman of strength, of love and passion for those dear to her, and a woman well respected by those that came to know her. She will be forever missed.

Nola M. Sorenson, 90, of Ely, passed away on Sunday, March 7, 2021 at the Boundary Waters Care Center in Ely.
She was born February 17, 1921 to Edward and Frances (Morrison) Ditlevson in Blooming Prairie, MN. Nola attended high school in Blooming Prairie, graduating in 1949. She graduated from Northwest Bible College in 1952.
Nola married Roger Sorenson on Oct. 1, 1955 in Blooming Prairie, MN.
Nola worked for General Mills, Super Valu and Hekle Corporation. The couple lived in Minneapolis until 1961 when they moved to Richfield, MN and then in 1995 the made the move to Ely.
She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Lynwood Ditlevson, four sisters: Del Neitzel, Coni O’Connor, Joyce Halflinger and Marion Christiansen.
Nola is surved by her husband Roger; sons Gregory Sorenson of Andover, MN and Todd (Cathy) Sorenson of Osage, IA; 12 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Joseph R. (Joe) Kobe of Ely, MN passed away peacefully at his home on March 6, 2021.
He was born on July 5, 1950 in Ely, MN. He was the 7th of 10 children born to Joseph and Ellia (Buraglio) Kobe (some say her favorite). In high school, he was an avid baseball and hockey player. He graduated from Ely Memorial High School in 1968 and a short 3 years later was drafted and sent on his first plane flight to Vietnam where he served as a military police officer.
After his service, he spent a short time in California, and then returned home to Ely where he owned and operated Kobe’s Liquor store as well as an auto repair service.
Despite never wanting to live in the Twin Cities, he moved there and worked 12 years in the carpentry trade where he met two life-long friends. He introduced them to Ely, where they spent many weekends hunting and fishing.

Barbara Sue Henwood, age 68, of Northfield, Minnesota passed away at her home from natural causes on Saturday, February 20, 2021.
Barbara was born on August 2, 1952, to Bernard and Lorene Mauser in Winton (near Ely), Minnesota. After graduating from Ely High School in 1970, Barbara attended Vermillion Community College in Ely and then St. Cloud State University, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Education and Speech Therapy. After graduation she accepted a position in Hettinger, North Dakota as a speech therapist in the local school system. She returned to Minnesota and taught in the Akeley school systems. She made a career change and began working for Minntac in Mt Iron. When mining slowed down in the early ‘80s, she moved to the Twin Cities, initially working at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport before taking a position with the MN Housing Finance Agency in St. Paul, where she was employed for 26 years.

Robert Alden Wood of Ely passed away peacefully with his loving family at his side on his 94th birthday, February 26, 2021.
Bob was born in Hillman, MN and grew up on his family’s farm there. He attended school and church, learned to grow large vegetable gardens, to milk cows, to love John Deere tractors and Fords, and to swim and play in the Skunk Creek with his many siblings. He left The Wood Family Farm at age 18 when he was drafted into the US Army, and he served in California and Alaska as WWII came to an end, learning and working with heavy equipment maintenance. After his service he did ranch work in Montana with his brothers before moving to Ely to work for Longyear Drilling, and eventually for Reserve Mining Company in the Babbitt mine until its closure.

Marion Bubash, 83, passed away at her Ely home on February 18, 2021. She was born in Ely in March 18,1937. She graduated from Memorial Senior High in 1956 and then attended Vermilion Community College for 2 years. She then moved to Los Angeles California for 2 years before moving to St. Paul, Minnesota where she lived for about 20 years. Marion returned home to Ely in 1988 where she retired and lived for the rest of her life.
Marion was a talented free-lance computer circuit board designer for most of her working career in the Twin City area before she retired in 1985. Marion was never afraid of taking on challenges or finding new adventures. She obtained her private pilot’s license in 1978.
Marion lived a quiet life and owned dogs for most of her life. Marion and her sheltie collie, Mickey, were avid walkers who could be seen walking on the streets of Ely and the Trezona Trail. Mickey has been successfully re-homed in Ely with a wonderful couple.