Obituaries

Jerry E. Blackmore was born August 19, 1940 in Great Falls, Montana. The only child of Mr. and Mrs. E. H. Blackmore. He grew up as a young child in Duluth and Ely, Minnesota. The family moved to Castro Valley, CA when Jerry was a freshman in high school. Jerry graduated from Castro Valley High in 1958. Jerry has a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Finance from San Jose State and an MBA in Taxation. He was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity at San Jose State. He was a member of the California Society of CPA and American Institute of CPA. Jerry lived in Livermore since 1964 with his former wife Dona Fraser Blackmore. He has two sons, Andy of Arizona and Tyler of New Jersey. He served in Viet Nam in 1962 and 1963. Jerry is a past Board of Director and Treasurer of Junior Golf Association of Northern CA. Past President of Northern California Golf Association and a Past Board President and member of Castlewood Country Club.

Carol Landa, 91, originally of Ely died Friday June 19, 2020 of natural causes in Delano, MN.
Carol was born to Frank and Esther Gustafson. She graduated from Ely Memorial High School and was active in orchestra and cheerleading. After high school she went on to Ely Junior College (VCC) for their secretarial program and later worked for the Oliver Mine.
She was a majorette in the Ely Drum and Bugle Corp where she met her future husband, Joe Landa. She loved music, cross-country skiing, Saturday night sauna with family, and dark chocolate. Carol was a member of the Class of ’47 Sewing Club.
Survivors include her children, Michael, Janice, and Carolyn and spouses; grandchildren, Chris, Craig, Clayton, Amy, Albert and Christofer and spouses; great grandson, Connor; and brother Harvey.
Service will be in Ely at a later date.

Schmidt, Dennis Alfred “Smitty,”
Age 80

Natalie "Sis" Chinn, 70, of Babbitt, MN, passed away Friday, June 26th, 2020 at her home in Babbitt.
"Sis" was born June 12th, 1950 to Wayne "Bud" & Joyce (Tibbetts) Baird in Minneapolis. MN.
"Sis" grew up in Babbitt, MN. graduating from John F Kennedy High School. She attended Cosmotology school in the cities after graduation.

Donald Leroy Beseman, 94, of Bemidji, Minnesota, died on March 23, 2020, in Bellevue, Iowa at Mill Valley Care Center.

Memorial Services will be 11:00 am, Saturday, August 1, 2020 at Immanuel Lutheran Church 349 3rd Street N.E. in Case Lake, Minnesota, conducted by Pastor James Sorenson. Family will greet friends 10:00 am until service time at the church prior to services. Inurnment will be in Argo Cemetery in Babbitt, Minnesota.

Margaret A. Haasl Reed/McLaughlin
Marge was born April 27, 1931, Sandy Township, MN to Robert and Rose Reed.
She graduated from Tower-Soudan High School in 1950. Married Robert J. McLaughlin August of 1950. Robert passed away in 1977.
Married Russell Haasl August 1082. Rusty passed away in 2006.
Marge enjoyed remaining years living in Ely at Grahek Apartments.
Gardening, cooking, sewing and feeding the birds and animals were favorite times.
Survived by daughter Patricia (Keith) Trembath, son Robert (Susan) McLaughlin, five step-children Robin Kirkman (deceased), Toni (Lyn) Haasl, Keith (Carol) Haasl, Ann (Duke) Bambas, Eve (Haasl) and Matthew Haasl; eleven grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren.
Deceased June 22, 2020.
A celebration of life will be held on August 1, 2020 at the Winton Community Center in Winton, Minnesota from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. for family and friends.

Sandra L. Mackie, age 74, of Spooner, WI passed away on Thursday, June 18, 2020 at her home.

Marian E. Koschak, 87, passed away under the wonderful care of Caring Edge Hospice at her residence in Edgewood Vista Assisted Living in Virginia on May 29, 2020.
She was first born on November 18, 1932 at her grandmother’s home in Section 30 in Ely and grew up at the Koschak Farm on Hwy 88 until moving to Spaulding Location.
She graduated from Ely High School in 1950 and Ely Jr. College in 1952.
She had many jobs including telephone operator and working at Basswood Lodge before entering the Navy.
She moved to LA California and worked for the Tappen Company as a computer programmer for 17 yrs before her company moved her to Mansfield, Ohio.
When they folded she moved to Columbus, Ohio to work at the Nationwide Insurance Company until she retired.
She then moved back to Minnesota where she lived in the Virginia Midway area until health reasons limited her and she moved into the Edgewood Vista Assisted Living.

Richard J. Jaeger, 49, of Victoria, passed away Friday, June 12, 2020. A memorial mass will be held Monday, June 22, 2020 at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Ely at 11:00 am with visitation one-hour prior. Deacon Greg Huter will officiate. Arrangements are with Range Funeral Home in Virginia. To sign the online guest book or to send condolences, please visit www.rangefuneralhomes.com.

Private family Mass of Christian Burial for Herbert “Herb” Joseph Akins Jr., will be held at Our Lady of Hope Parish in Hoyt Lakes with Fr. Peter Lambert as celebrant. Visitation and reviewal for family and friends will be held Thursday, June 18, 2020 from 3:00-6:00pm at Ziemer-Moeglein-Shatava Funeral Home in Aurora. Burial will be in the Hoyt Lakes Memorial Cemetery.

Herb lost his battle with Parkinson’s Disease on Sunday, June 14, 2020 at his home in Hoyt Lakes.

He was born May 4, 1935 in Duluth, Minnesota to Herbert and Angela (Deyak) Akins Sr. Herb attended school in Two Harbors and Ely and graduated from Ely High School in 1954. He attended Ely Jr. College and later received his Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Moorhead State College.