Obituaries

Shirley Miller, 87 of Embarrass, died Monday, November 19, 2018. Funeral arrangements entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home.

Philip K. DuFresne, 104, Two Harbors, passed away peacefully on November 13, 2018 at Ecumen Scenic Shores in Two Harbors.
He was born June 20, 1914 to Henry and Hulda (Johnson) DuFresne in North Dakota. When he was a child, his mother remarried and they moved to Two Harbors, where Phil remained the rest of his life. He was the second oldest of the four boys and one sister.
In 1935 he married Delores (Pat) O’Brian and had two sons, David and Fred. In 1936, John (Boomer) Norlen, (a cousin of Pat’s) at age 12, came to live with them temporarily and stayed permanently.
Phil retired with 41 years working for the D.M.I.R. (Duluth, Mesabi & Iron Range Railroad). He at one time co-owned a local pool hall with a friend in the mid 1950s and ran the Dairy Queen for a few years in the early 1960s.

Hortense Louisa (Simpkins) Davis, 92, of Galesburg, IL died Tuesday November 6, 2018 at 4:15 p.m. at home.
She was born December 21, 1925 to Peter and Olga (Warden) Simpkins. Hortense married John D. Davis on June 28, 1942 in Palmyra, Missouri. He preceded her in death July 10, 1999.
Hortense is survived by her four children, Barry (Charlotte Self) Davis of Florida, Kriss (Betsy Hensley) Davis of Bloomington, Kerry (Sandy Furniss) Davis of Ely, Minnesota, and Dixie Davis-Sharp of Galesburg; seven grandchildren, Dorothy Lam, Timothy Sharp, Chad Davis, John Davis, Taylor Davis, Justin Davis, and Sara Skar; nine great grandchildren, Eleia Lam, Baron Lam, Minuet Lam, Mason Davis, Isabella Davis, Jace Davis, Cameron Sharp, Emelia Skar, and Theodore Skar; and two great great grandchildren Ivy Sharp and Lennon Sharp. She is also survived by her sister, Sylvia Simpkins-Stoutner of Penn Valley, California and numerous nieces and nephews across the country.

ANTHONY MATHEW (TONY) KNAPP, 82, passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in Mankato, Minnesota on November 10, 2018. He was surrounded by his family after a courageous six-month battle with pancreatic cancer.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, November 15 at Hosanna Lutheran Church. He will be interred at Calvary Cemetery in Mankato.
A memorial visitation will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, November 14, at the Mankato Mortuary and also at the church for one hour prior to the service on Thursday.
Tony was born on September 27, 1936 in Ely, Minnesota to Anton and Mary Knapp. He graduated from Ely High School and went on to the Ely Junior College for two years.
Tony loved learning throughout his entire life, and he completed his teaching degree from St. Cloud Teachers College before earning his Master’s degree at Mankato State University.

Robert Scheuer, of Ely, passed away on Saturday, November 3, 2018 at Essentia Health- St. Mary's Medical Center in Duluth. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Anton J. ‘Tony’ Golobich, 95, of Ely died peacefully on Saturday, November 3, 2018, at Boundary Waters Care Center, one week after the passing of his beloved wife, Angie.
He was born on May 11, 1923 in Ely to Steve and Katherine (Jaketic) Golobich and graduated from Ely Memorial High School, class of 1941. During high school he was a ski jumper with the Ely Ski Club. Tony also became a skilled woodsman and trapper who understood animals and their movements. He was accomplished at finding his way in the woods, outsmarting wolves, fox, lynx, mink and beaver, especially during the Minnesota State “bounty” trapping years. He loved the outdoors and spent as much time as possible trapping and hunting or with a ‘line in the water’ on the Kawishiwi River and other area lakes.

Wallace “Wally”Chester Kuehl, 95, passed away on November 2, 2018 in Finland, MN surrounded by family at his home.
Wallace was born September 1, 1923 to Hugo and Harriet (Kile) Kuehl in Thorp WI. He was a proud WWII Vet, serving in the Army.
He married Vera (Cornwell) Kuehl on Jan 4, 1947. They farmed near Thorp, WI. In 1957 Wallace moved to Minnesota to work as a logger, his family followed in ’59.
He is preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Victor and James; sister Esther and a granddaughter, Lucinda (Cindy Lou) Kuehl.
He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Vera (Cornwell) Kuehl. Seven Children: Wally (Joyce), Elroy, Linda (Alan), Willy (Evelyn), Harriet (Roger), Jacqueline (Andres) and Katherine (Daniel).
Grandchildren: Reggie, Danielle, James, Suzette, Scott, Jessica, Rodney, Aaron, Travis, Roger, Karen, Benjamin, Barett. Brother Bernie (Jean) and sister Ruth (Leland) Cornwell and more than 30 great grandchildren.

Robert Donald Hodge passed away quietly on November 2, 2018, at the end of a long and happy life at 97. He is survived by his three daughters: Bobbie Hodge, of Ely, Minnesota, Vicki Hodge Tomascak (Walt) of Missoula, Montana and Becky Hodge Wahlberg (Darin Peterson), of Aurora, Minnesota; four grandchildren, Andrew Tomascak, Amara Wahlberg Chesson (Zak), Cory Tomascak (Kathleen), and Nikki Wahlberg Ibis (Luke); and three great grandchildren: Sajan Chesson, Walter James Tomascak, and Penelope Ann Tomascak. He is preceded in death by his parents, his sister Marion Gail Hodge Higgins, and his beloved wife of 62 years, Gerrie.
Bob was the firstborn child of Frederick Charles Hodge and Anna Helena Peterson Hodge, born October 21, 1921, near Chisholm, Minnesota. He grew up with a love of hunting, trapping, fishing, gardening and raising many animals.

Paul Eugene Kyllonen, age 57, passed away at Palmer Station, Antarctica on October 23, 2018. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely. Memorial service to be held at a later date.

Mary Theresa (Rom) Ferderber, 98, of Ely, passed away on Monday, October 29, 2018 at the Boundary Waters Care Center in Ely.
She was born December 13, 1919 in Maverlen, Slovenia, Jugoslavia to John Rom and Mary (Schager) Rom. Mary arrived in the U.S.A. with her mother on October 1, 1922. She lived in Ely, Minnesota all of her life.
Mary married Peter A. Ferderber on May 16, 1938. They had three children: Patrick Ferderber; Diane (Alfred “Butch”) Smisek, Kenneth Ferderber married to Diana Kelly.
She is also survived by grandchildren Mara Ferderber, married to David Sireks; Brielle Ferderber, married to Patrick Loe; Garret Ferderber, married to Jenn Wilna; Kenneth Ferderber Jr., married to Alice; Carmen Ferderber, married to Patrick Skulzace; and seven great-grandchildren.
Funeral Mass will be held at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church on Wednesday, November 7, 2018 at 11 a.m. with visitation occurring one hour prior at the church.