Obituaries

Barbara Jean Rahkola, 68, resident of Cromwell, died unexpectedly in her home on September 16th, 2021. She was born in Cloquet, MN to James Buehre and Arlene Lukanen on June 20th, 1953.
Barb grew up in Babbitt and attended school there. She spent her life devoted to food and meal preparation for numerous facilities including Interfaith Care Center in Carlton and Minnesota Department of Corrections in Moose Lake. Barb was proud of the volunteer hours she spent working with Ruby’s Pantry through the years. Her hobbies including visiting with family and friends on the phone, socializing in any form, canning foods from her garden, and owning and operating her own greenhouse, Green Acres. Barb will be remembered for her stubborn yet loving ways, and for all of the memorable conversations she leaves behind.
She was preceded in death by her parents, James Buehre and Arlene (Larry) Morris; brother, James Lanhart; sister, Sandra Russo; partner, Richard Huhta.

Andrea R. Bailey, 73, of Ely, passed away at the Vermillion Senior Living Center in Tower. Per Andrea's request there'll be no services. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Timothy Orin Forbes, 80, passed away peacefully at his home in Cypress, Texas on August 26, 2021.
Born in Nevada Iowa to Phyllis and Harry Forbes on August 31, 1940
Graduated from Nevada High School in 1958
Graduated from Humboldt Technical School with a degree in Traffic Management. He worked at Great Northern Oil Refinery in South St. Paul using this education to put himself through the University of Minnesota graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management.
During this time, he became engaged and married Alberta Weinzierl from Ely Minnesota on June 16, 1962. The next year, they became parents of their first child, Cheryl Lynn Forbes. He graduated from college in March 1966, and the following month they welcomed their son, Michael Timothy Forbes.

Mark Palser, age 68, died on September 11, 2021 in Carlton, MN. Family arrangements are by Kerntz Funeral Home.

William Kvas (age 91), a long time Ely resident passed away peacefully at his home in Rosemount, MN on August 29, 2021, after a battle with pneumonia. He is survived by his sister Molly (Kvas) Sinar of Grand Rapids, three sons: William (Suzanne) of Eagan, Robert (Laura) of Lakeville, and Lawrence of St. Cloud and stepdaughter, Laura (Bird) Miller of Orlando, Florida. In addition to several grandchildren, he is survived by one great grandson. He was preceded in death by his parents Joseph Kvas and Jennie (Fercik) Kvas, both Slovenian immigrants. He was also preceded in death by his sister Jennie (Mestnik) Aho and brothers, Daniel Mestnik (Wakefield, MI), Stanley Mestnik (St. Paul), Robert Kvas (Mt. Iron, MN), and Edward Kvas (Silver Bay, MN).

Mildred Catherine (Bomleny) Schlueter passed away at Carefree Living in Babbitt, Minnesota on August 26th, 2021.
Mildred, also known as “Mim” or “Millie,” was the fifth of eight children and was born on a large farm in Sheffield Illinois to Peter and Daisy (Reynolds) Bomleny. She made her entrance into the world during a severe snowstorm, so her father had to assist in her birth at their home.
After raising two boys, Mildred and her husband Herb retired to Bemidji, Minnesota in the 1970s from West Chicago. She was passionate about flower gardening, cooking big meals for her family, and baking delicious goodies for anyone who stopped by for a visit.
Millie loved being active in her church, fishing at Lake Marquette in Bemidji, and was a talented bowler until her mid eighties.
She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings John, Darlene, Lucille, Paul, Elna, Joe, and Leo, sons Ronald and Kenneth, and daughter-in-law Donna (Ronald).

Thomas Bialke, 98, of Babbitt, passed away on Friday August 27, 2021 at Carefree Assisted Living in Babbitt. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Juanita L. Constant, 91, of Babbitt, passed on Wednesday, August 25, 2021 at Miller-Dwan Hospital in Duluth.
She was born December 5, 1929, in Jefferson City, MO. She married Willard Constant on August 3, 1948 in Jefferson City. The couple moved to Minnesota in the early 1950s then to Babbitt in 1956. where they raised five children.
Juanita loved gardening and grew beautiful flowers. She also enjoyed cooking and baking.
She was an excellent mother and grandmother, her family was everything to her. She was also a very devoted member of St. Pius X Catholic Church.
Her last couple of years were spent in Lino Lakes with her son.

CORTNEY RAE PRYATEL, 31, of Virginia, formerly of Ely, passed away on Saturday, August 14, 2021 in Virginia. She was born August 31, 1989.
May her smile, love, light and faith shine on those that she left behind.
Survived by her parents Mary Kay and Jim Pryatel; sister Destiny; and the loves of her life, her children Ashland, Sylas, Axle, Liam and Cane.
May her love live on in them.
A celebration of life will be held on September 11, 2021 at 2 p.m. at Kerntz Funeral Home in Ely, MN.
Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Tammy Lee Mikolich, 53, of Grand Rapids, formerly of Ely, passed away on Wednesday, August 18, 2021 in Grand Rapids. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.