Obituaries

Donald G. Chinander, 78, of Ely, MN formerly from Marine on the St. Croix, passed away Sunday, January 27, 2019 at his residence where he wanted to be when he went home to be with his Heavenly Father.
Don retired from 3M in 1996 after 35 years of service. In 1999 Don became the owner of Stony Ridge Resort and Cafe with his son Marty. Don is survived by his children: Gordon Chinander, Robin Lee, Martin (Dawn) Chinander; grandchildren: Jacquelyn Chinander (Sergio), Joshua Chinander (Morgan), Taylor Lee, Trevor Lee, Zach (Angie) Debeltz , Jesse (Ayla) Debeltz; great grandchild Pricilla Mena; brother Roger (Cindy) Chinander. He was preceded in death by parents Glenn and Maxine Chinander, former spouse Bette Chinander and infant grandson, Dakota Lee. A memorial service will be held at The Gospel Church on Saturday, February 9 at 1 p.m. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Gloria (Lassey) Starkman, died in Austin, TX, on Jan. 5. Graveside services will be held at the White Iron Cemetery this summer.

Betty Jane (Thomas) Page, 93, passed away at Carefree Assisted Living in Ely, MN on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019. She was born August 2, 1925 in Iowa City, Iowa to Helen (Means) and Dr. Wesley Thomas. The family later lived next door to artist Grant Wood’s family in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
She married Wesley M. Page, MD and they had two sons: Thomas M. and Michael J. The family moved from Montezuma, Iowa to Rockford, Illinois in 1958. Betty graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in social work. She was a member of the Alpha Beta chapter of Alpha Delta Pi (social sorority while in Iowa). Then an member of an Alpha Delta Pi alumnae group in Rockford.

Mary Jean Kriznar, May 6, 1941 – January 15, 2019. A friend of everyone she met, Mary Jean Kriznar of Ely, Minnesota passed away on January 15, 2019. Mary Jean could strike up a conversation wherever she went, and had friends and relatives across the country. She will be remembered as a caring wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. She is predeceased by her parents, Adolph and Francis (Globokar) Dolenshak, and husband, Frank Mathew Kriznar.

Janet F (Fritz) Kivisto, 82, passed away January 17 from complication s of Primary Progressive Aphasia.
She was born August 16, 1936 in Bessemer Twp, MI to Donald and Ruby Fritz. Janet grew up in Hurley, WI. She attended nursing school when she met the love of her life, Jack and married him on August 2, 1958 in Waukesha, WI. Janet and Jack eventually moved to Babbitt where she worked for the Babbitt Weekly News and Babbitt Library. Her greatest joy was her kids and grandkids. She loved reading, walking and gardening.

Elizabeth “Betty” Povhe, 69, passed away on January 18, 2019. She was born on October 15, 1949 in Ely, Minnesota to Angela (Flake) and Rudy Scufsa. She graduated from Ely Memorial High School, attended Vermilion Community College, and then went on to beauty school in Duluth. She moved back to Ely and worked at Town and Country beauty shop and the Hairstyling Corner. After that, Betty and Carolyn Johnson owned and operated Guys n Gals beauty shop until she retired. Betty was known for her cooking, baking, sewing, and crocheting. Her favorite pasttime was driving around in the convertible with her beloved husband, Jim. Another favorite past time was bowling. In 1992 she bowled a perfect game and to the best of her knowledge, was still the only woman in Ely to have done so.

Dorothy (Jiacik) Stember of Red Wing, MN died peacefully at home on Jan. 4, 2019 at age 86.
Dorothy is survived by her husband, Daniel; three daughters: Ann Patrick of Tucson, AZ, Ellen Stember of Red Wing,, MN; granddaughter Kaitlin Niebeling and Dorothy’s sister Carol Janeksala and brother Richie Jiacik of Ely. Dorothy requested there be no funeral services.

Sharon Jeanne (Whiting) Dimich, 65, of Babbitt, passed away on Sunday, January 13, 2019 at the Boundary Waters Care Center in Ely. She is survived by her husband William Dimich of Babbitt; children: Bruce Dietrich of Ely, Craig (Jen) Dietrich of Houston, TX; sisters: Julie (Dave) Rhein, Diane (Paul) Myers, brother: Jerome (Brenda) Whiting; granddaughters: Morgan Dietrich, Kaela Dietrich and great granddaughter Wynter; several nieces, nephews and cousins, step children: Heather Jackson, step grandsons Austin Hayes and Magus Jackson. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Leora Wetzel, 90, of Ely, passed away on Sunday, January 13, 2019 at Essentia Health- St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth.
Leora was one of 14 children born to Albert and Selma Jaeger in Merrill, Wisconsin. She learned to bake and cook at her mother’s side and used that talent to bless the family she stayed with while attending high school. After graduation, she was a stenographer. Then she fell in love with Arn at church. Leora and Arnold Wetzel were married on October 8, 1949 in Wausau, Wisconsin. The couple moved to Wells, Minnesota where they raised chickens and hogs. Together they had one son, Thomas. Leora was a housewife on the farm and taught Sunday School at Wells Assembly of God Church.
Lee had the gift of hospitality and shared her culinary talents with everyone Grandpa Arn invited over to the house.

Thomas “Tom” Martin Rukavina, 68, of Pike Township, died on Monday, January 7, 2019, at the University of Minnesota Medical Center in Minneapolis after a battle with leukemia. The family would like to thank the talented staff at the University of Minnesota Medical Center for their extraordinary care of Tom during his stay. Funeral services will be on Saturday, January 19, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Virginia, at 11 a.m., with visitation beginning at 9:30 a.m. Visitation will also be held on Friday, January 18, from 5-7 p.m. at Range Funeral Home in Virginia. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Tom Rukavina Scholarship Fund c/o Mesabi Range College Foundation, 1001 W Chestnut St., Virginia, MN 55792.
Tom was born to Martin “Benny” and Martha Rukavina in Virginia on August 23, 1950. He grew up on northside in an ethnically diverse neighborhood with a close immediate and extended family which positively shaped his life forever.