Obituaries

Rudolph Semeja, age 88 of Springfield, MO died Friday, March 6, 2020 at Morning side at Chesterfield.

Rudy will be cremated and burial will be at a later date in Minnesota under the direction of Walnut Lawn Funeral Home Ltd. DeGraffenreid-Wood Crematory.

Jerry Alexander Carlson was born on May 26, 1934, in Ely, Minnesota. He was the son of Oscar and Helen (Sikala) Carlson. Jerry was baptized and later confirmed in his faith at First Lutheran Church in Ely. Jerry was a graduate of the Ely High School Class of 1952, Gustavus Adolphus College and later attended post graduate school at the Minnesota State University, Mankato. Following college Jerry served in the United States Army for two years.

On June 9, 1962, Jerry was united in marriage to Malene Torgerson at Trinity Lutheran Church in Moorhead, Minnesota. This marriage was blessed with two sons, Jon and Daniel. They have resided in Hutchinson for over 57 years.

Jerry was employed as a Physical Education teacher at the Hutchinson School District #423 and retired in 1993. He was a very involved and successful boys swimming and diving coach for 47 years and also coached boys and girls tennis for over 20 years.

Regina Elizabeth Johnson, age 94 of Ely passed away peacefully at Carefree Assisted Living in Ely on Friday, February 28, 2020. She was born February 8, 1926 in Virginia, Minnesota, the daughter of Swedish immigrant parents Ernest and Anna (Nordstrom) Johnson. She was a graduate of Virginia High School and attended the University of Minnesota where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Home Economics. After teaching in southern Minnesota and North St. Paul, she began teaching at Ely Memorial High School in 1951. Regina retired in 1984 after a total of 37 years in Education. A highlight of her time in Ely included working with the University of Minnesota School of Architecture to re-design and update the Ely high school Home Economics department. It became a state of the art facility and a model for other high schools to follow. Regina worked with many student organizations supporting and mentoring hundreds of students during her career in education.

Thor H. Nordwall, age 98, passed away peacefully on March 4. 2020.
Born on April 7, 1921 in Sweden, Thor emigrated to St. Paul with his mother when he was four, to join his father who had come two years earlier. Thor’s life was long and full of adventure and good times with family and friends. He grew up in St. 1 Paul and joined the Army in 1942, serving in Europe during WWII, most notably as part of a group which set up a communications network for the troops during the U.S. invasion at Normandy, in June, 1944.

Guong Nguyen (Becky Kess), who was born in Tay Ninh on February 4, 1949, passed away Saturday, February 29, 2020, at the Virginia Care Center. Guong, also known as Becky Kess liked to travel to Vietnam in the winter months where the sun was warmer. She always waited for the blueberries to ripen in July.
Becky’s summers were filled with flowers decorating the front porch and for 18 years she was Becky at Becky’s Oriental Foods. Her daughter Kim is now operating the business. Guong is survived by her husband, Donald Kess, two daughters: Kim (Steve) Elliott of Rice Lake, MN, Kim (Mark) Anderson of Eveleth, MN; ten grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Services are pending.
Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

SJOBERG (Seliga), Ethel M., age 89 passed away on Friday, February 28 at Guardian Angels Care Center, Elk River.
Born on October 20, 1930 in Ely to Steve and Anna Seliga. Ethel was the last surviving of 12 children. She was a longtime Secretary to the Superintendent of Schools in District 696. Ethel is survived by son, Robert of Ramsey, MN; daughters, Cindy Johnson of Lino Lakes, MN, and Shelley (Todd) Baumgartner of Little Falls, MN; granddaughters, Janna (Isaac) Thoma and Kallie Baumgartner (fiancé Kyle Gapinski);​ grandsons, Joel and Mark Johnson; great grandchildren, Quinn, Lillian and Dannica; many relatives and good friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Roy Sjoberg in 1982. Per her wishes, private services. In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to Alzheimer’s Foundation. www.cremationsocietyofmn.com

Roger D. Week, 67, of Babbitt passed away Wednesday, February 26, 2020 at Essentia Health St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth.
Roger was born on September 4, 1952 in Bemidji, MN to Knute and Agnes (Hanson) Week and grew up in Blackduck, MN. where he graduated from high school. He worked for Reserve Mining Company, Erie Mining Company and as a mechanic for Wright county in Buffalo, MN.
He was the Mayor of Babbitt and worked as a Street Supervisor for the city. He also served six years in the Minnesota National Guard and the Army reserve.
Roger loved hunting, motorcycle riding and spending time with family and friends. He was a charter member of the Iron Cross Motorcycle Club. He served as a snowmobile instructor and a firearms instructor for the State of Minnesota, and received a certificate from Gov. Rudy Perpich for this wonderful accomplishment.

Marcella Caroline Gardiepy, 90, of Ely, passed away on Friday, February 28, 2020 at Carefree Assisted Living in Ely.
She was born on December 1, 1929 to Steve and Anna Grahek. She was raised in Ely and graduated from Ely Memorial High School.
She married Miles on September 25th, 1954 at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband Miles on July 16, 2016; her parents; her brothers Ted and Albert and three sisters, Dorothy in infancy, Ann Stefanich and Mary Grahek; sisters-in-law Josephine Grahek, Donna Grahek, Angie Grahek and brother-in-law Joe Stefanich.
Marcella is survived by her children: Maryellen Gardiepy of Naples Florida, Thomas Gardiepy of Naples Florida and Judy Rupp of Phoenix Arizona, (2) grandchildren Amanda and Ashley Rupp also of Phoenix; brother Rudy of Virginia, MN and several nieces and nephews.
A service will be held at a later date.

Andre Louis Widmer, 84, originally of Switzerland, passed away peacefully at Carefree Living in Ely on February 19, 2020.
Andre is survived by his daughter Jacqueline, son-in -law Christoph, grandchildren Alexandra and Natalie, brother Hans with sister-in-law Doris and their families in Switzerland and Canada, brother Oswald with sister-in -law Ursula, nephews Jean-Pierre and Andre as well as many longtime friends throughout the world.
Andre was born June 4th, 1935 in Zofingen, Switzerland. He was the second of four boys to his parents Arnold and Rosa Widmer-Kaempf. He lost his oldest brother Rene in his early 20’s. He met and in 1959 married Dollo Wohlwend and moved to Cape Town South Africa in 1964. There they had one daughter, Jacqueline and after 4 years he moved the family to Milwaukee, WI for professional reasons.

Grant Allen Olsen, 83, died peacefully at his home in Babbitt, MN on Saturday, February 22, 2020.
He was born February 26, 1936 in Two Harbors, MN to Gudrun (Knudson) and Johannes Olsen. He was the youngest of eight children; seven boys and one girl. His sister Helen was not pleased her parents brought another boy home from the hospital and she chose to call him Allen. From then on he went by Allen to family and friends and only later in life did people begin calling him Grant.
Allen graduated Two Harbors High School in 1954 and went on to get his electrical journeymen’s license which began his life-long career as an Electrician on the Iron Range.