Obituaries

Gloria Mae Vertin, 88, of Ely, passed away on Friday, August 12, 2022 at the Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital surrounded by family.

Gloria was born March 11, 1934 to Enrico and Geromina DeBernardi. She was a lifelong Ely resident, graduating from Ely Memorial High School in 1952.

Gloria married Matt (Sonny) Vertin on June 21, 1952. They were married for 62 years at the time of Sonny’s death in 2014. Gloria and Sonny owned and operated Vertin’s Cafe and Pub, a local iconic establishment in Ely.

Nancy June Winder, 82, passed away the evening of November 23rd, 2021 at Edgewood Vista while holding the hand of her daughter.
Nancy was born in Ely on August 17th, 1939, the daughter of Andrew and Eleanor (Maki) Toutloff. She was the fourth of seven children and was a member of the Bois Forte Band of Ojibwe. She graduated from Ely High School in 1957 and played the flute in the Drum and Bugle Corps. After high school, Nancy trained to be a medical technician at the Duluth Clinic and worked at the Virginia Hospital and Adam’s Clinic in Hibbing. Nancy married Wayne Meyer in December of 1967 and a year later, they welcomed their daughter Kim into their family. Two years later they built their home and farm and raised Kim in rural Hibbing, MN. Nancy later discovered her passion for golf and was a member of Mesaba Country Club.

Let Us Pause To Honor the Memory of
Raymond Joseph Godward, Jr.

Paul F. Ivancich, 59, passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 2, at his home on Burntside Lake, after a courageous, hard-fought, two-year battle with cancer.
Paul, known to many as Paulie or PI, was born in Ely on April 25, 1963, to Paul and Virgie Ivancich. He graduated from Ely High School and developed a great love and passion for sports while growing up, and played both basketball and baseball in high school. At an early age, he also began working at the family business, the Ely Dairy Queen, and shared many wonderful moments and memories while growing up with his brothers Frank and Joey, who passed away at age 15 from Cystic Fibrosis.

Charles Fynboh, 75 of Thief River Falls, MN passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 24, 2022 at Sanford Medical Center in Thief River Falls with his loving family by his side.
Private family services to celebrate Charlie’s life will take place at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls.
Charles Christopher Fynboh was born July 10, 1947 in Colusa, CA to Raymond and Evelyn (Showalter) Fynboh.
On April 30, 1966, Charles was united in marriage to the love of his life and high school sweetheart, Parilee Olson in Forest Lake, MN. They made their home in Forest Lake and to this union four children were born, Lonnie, Scott, Danelle and Christine.
They moved to Ely, MN in 1978 where Charlie operated Fynboh Construction Company and in 1985, the family moved to Thief River Falls where Charlie worked for Northwest Concrete until starting Fynboh Construction in 1995.

The Mass of Christian burial for Raphael “Ray” Kern of Verndale, was celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, July 25, at St. Hubert’s Catholic Church in Blue Grass.
Days before his 64th birthday, Ray unexpectedly passed away, on July 19, 2022, at Sanford Health in Fargo, ND

Thomas A. Falk, age 78, passed on July 22, 2022, at Carefree Living Memory Care, Ely, MN. Longtime St. Paul EastSider, graduated Johnson HS, Army vet (adventures in Germany and France). Worked at Louie's on Payne, among other careers. Dearly missed by girlfriend and life partner Laurie Wettschreck of Ely and little sister Mary Falk (Stephen Rattle) of Linwood. He lived his life on his own terms and enjoyed a good read, a good laugh and a good time. Preceded in death by parents Harry and Helen Falk (St Paul), sister Margaret Falk Brown (Deephaven). Private services.
Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Ericka Yvette Javis (50) passed away on June 13th, 2022 at Ely Bloomenson Community Hospital due to medical complications.
She was born on November 21, 1971 in Columbia, SC. As a young child of an army officer, she was somewhat of an army brat, along with her brother and sisters. After numerous moves they finally settled down in the Twin Cities. She moved to Ely in the summer of 2005 with her fiance and best friend of 22 years, Damian Grahek.
She was employed at several places where you could always count on her to greet you with a smile and make you laugh with her bubbly and joking personality. She was a member of the Grace Lutheran Church and loved singing in their well known choir especially the Christmas Contatas. She would often be singing those songs during the holidays while cooking up a feast.

Carrie Henrika Folz Cazares, 59, passed away on June 30, 2022, surrounded by family at her home in Hillsboro, Oregon.

Carrie was born on August 4, 1962, in Ely, Minnesota to Jon and Carolyn Folz. She was a graduate of Ely Memorial High School and Duluth Technical College. Carrie was united in marriage with Efren Cazares on July 10, 2004.

Carrie was a loving, fun, and spirited wife, mother, sister, and aunt, and a special friend to so many. She was an adoring mother to her many fur baby Schnauzers and cats. She spent her career working in the hospitality industry in Minnesota, North Carolina, and Oregon. She enjoyed retiring to St. Petersburg, Florida before moving back to Oregon to be closer to family last year.

Judy Mae McClure

Judy McClure passed away into the loving arms of her Lord and Savior for eternity Monday July 18, 2022 at the age of 75.