Obituaries

Gary Keith Abney:
March 5, 1945 - August 13, 2021

Lawrence Edward “Pete” Davis of Ely passed away at Boundary Waters Care Center on August 9th, 2021. Pete was born in Duluth on August 23rd, 1926 to Herbert and Kaspara “Rose” Davis and grew up on the family dairy farm. Pete left school shortly after his 16th birthday in 1942 and joined the Merchant Marine. He sailed on the Great Lakes until the spring of 1943, then shipped out from the West Coast for the remainder of World War II. From the United States he received the WW II Victory Medal, Pacific Theater Medal, Merchant Marine Service Medal, Combat Bar, and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon. From the Philippine Government he was awarded the WW II Victory Medal, the Asia-Pacific Campaign Medal, and the Philippine Liberation with Combat Star Medal. Pete continued to sail after the war, including a voyage that took him from Baltimore to South America to Africa around the Horn; across the Indian Ocean back to Asia.

John Joseph Buchite, 76, of Ely, passed away of natural causes in his home on November 18, 2020. John was born on March 5, 1944 to Marion and Hubert Buchite in Ely, MN, where he grew up and lived his whole life.
John enlisted in the US Navy, US Army and Army National Guard. He proudly served in the Vietnam War and was honorably discharged from the military. After his military service, John held jobs in various fields, including a Maritime career working on ore boats, followed by several years with US Steel MinnTac and finally retiring as an over-the-road long haul trucker. Traveling became a passion for him and he had the fortunate opportunity to visit all 50 states.

James (Jim) Hilbert Rolando, 92, passed away on Thursday, July 22nd, 2021, at the Littlefork Care Center in Littlefork, MN.
Jim was born August 27, 1928, in Ely, MN, to James and Ellen (Toutloff) Rolando.
He was united in marriage on July 16, 1955, to Mary Maureen Gauer.

Robert (Bob) Joseph Champa Jr., 70, of Ely, Minnesota, passed away unexpectedly at his home on July 20, 2021.
He was born to parents Robert and Helen Champa on October 30, 1950 in Winton, Minnesota.
He graduated from Ely Memorial High School in 1969 and went on to study HVAC at Dunwoody Institute.
Bob worked as a Hvac Technician for 30 years in the Ely area. He retired from Starkman Oil Company in 1998.
He enjoyed hunting & fishing, splitting and stacking wood on his wood pile, morning coffee at the GEL, and spending time with his wife, children and grandchildren who he especially loved sharing his outdoor passions with. Bob spent countless hours teaching firearms safety to the youth of Ely and was honored with an award for 40 years of volunteer instructor service by the MN DNR.

Donald O. Niska, 85, of Ely, a proud U.S. Marine Corp Veteran, passed away at his residence on Thursday, July 15, 2021. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Margaret “Marge” Swindlehurst, 83, of Silver Bay died on Monday, July 12, 2021 at Carefree Living.
She was born on September 2, 1937 to Michael and Margaret (Matanich) Paun in Ely, MN where she grew up and graduated from Ely High School in 1955. Marge was employed as a secretary for Hunkin for a short time before her marriage to Robert Swindlehurst in 1959. She then worked for Lake Superior School District for over 20 years in various positions.
Marge was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and a founding member of the Bay Area Artists. She enjoyed water-color painting, calligraphy, and was a renowned cook and baker.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Bob in 2013; sister, Ann Levar; brother, Stephen Paun; and niece, Linda Levar Powers.

Joshua Orcutt, 57, of Ely, passed away on Thursday, July 1, 2021 at his residence. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Robert A. "Bob" Wilt, 85, of Ely, passed away at M Fairview Hospital University of Minnesota Medical Center on Tuesday, June 15, 2021. He was born in Duncansville, PA to P. A. "Ted" and Beatrice (Moses) Wilt.

Throughout his life Bob was passionate about fishing, hunting, golfing and spending time in the outdoors. He became an avid poker player over the years and discovered an exceptional talent for oil painting at age 75.

Bob proudly served in the U.S. Army from 1955 to 1957.

He will be remembered as a kind, gentle man with a keen sense of humor, who loved his family and friends with all his heart.

Bob is survived by his son Jeffrey (Sandi) Wilt of Ely, daughter Lisa Inlow of Charlottesville, VA and grandchildren Michael Inlow of Washington, DC, Rachael Inlow and Clare Inlow of Charlottesville, VA, and Lucas Hoberg of Las Vegas NV; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

J Michael Bowers, Ph. D, of Kansas City, Missouri, died June 19, 2021, at his home. Mike was born November 12, 1943, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He received his B.A. and M.A. Degrees from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, and his Ph.D. from University of Oregon Medical School, Portland, Oregon. He was Dean of Administration at Lincoln College, Lincoln, Illinois, Sales Manager at Merrill Lynch, Clayton, Missouri, Branch Manager of UBS/Paine Webber, Clayton, Missouri, Carmel and Indianapolis, Indiana, and finally in Kansas City, Missouri. Mike enjoyed his friends at the Lodge on Spangler Prairie in Blairstown, Missouri and spending summers at the family cabin on Eagles Nest Lake in Ely, Minnesota. Mike is survived by his wife Mary Kay (Syndergaard) and children, Jeffrey Michael Bowers and Sarah Jane Bowers, all of Kansas City, Missouri.