Obituaries

Alan Raymond Kratz

Alan Kratz (73) passed away on 12/14/19 at his home, after a short, brave struggle with Pancreatic Cancer.

Al is survived by his loving wife and soulmate, Kay, brothers Keith (Jeanette) and Roger (Jennifer), sisters Susan Gruwell (Mark) and Sheri Kratz Brown.

He leaves four sons: Jason (Zoe), Cory (Sarah), Jeffrey (Tracy), and David Kratz, grandchildren: Rachael, Kyle and Daphne, and Mikomi Takaki who we love like our daughter.

Al was preceded in death by his Daughter, Rachael, and his parents, Raymond and Eileen Kratz.

Joyce Carlson, Lake Havasu City, Arizona resident, passes away on November 29, 2019 at the age of 90.
Her daughters, Nicki Marines and Peggi Maki, lived with and cared for her since the passing of her devoted husband, Bernard Carlson, on July 4, 2011. She was also preceded in death by her parents, Ernest and Gladys Anderson and her brother, Donald Anderson.
The last year, battling Alzheimer’s disease, was under the loving care of Casa Grande Assisted Living Home and Beacon of Hope Hospice, where her daughters visited daily. She is also survived by her step-children Lynne and Gay Carlson of Arizona, 8 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Joyce was born and raised in Ely, Minnesota where she graduated from Ely Memorial High School and was a majorette in the Drum and Bugle Corp Marching Band. She worked in administration at Vermilion Community College.

Margaret Katherine Glinsek, 98, of Ely, passed away on Tuesday, December 10, 2019 at the Boundary Waters Care Center in Ely.
Margaret was born September 10, 1921 in Ely, Minnesota to John and Katherine (Valentich) Sotlich.
She loved her children and was a great mother. She enjoyed her winters in Hawaii.
Margaret was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Stanley, son David; two brothers, John and Joe; three sisters, Katherine, Mary and infant sister Nan.
She is survived by her son Patrick (Shirley) Glinsek of Ely, six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Franklin “Frank” Preshiren, 72, of Hoyt Lakes died on Saturday, December 7, 2019 at his home.

Anthony (Tony O) Orazem of Armstrong Lake, passed away on December 4, 2019.

He was born in Biwabik on January 12, 1945 to Anthony J. (Tony) and Anne (Kolak) Orazem. He grew up and graduated from Aurora-Hoyt Lakes High School, Eveleth Area Vocational Technical School and Bemidji State University with an Industrial Arts Degree. He also served in the Army in Germany.

He loved hunting and fishing with family and friends. Tony was a member the Aurora American Legion for 50 years and a member of the Aurora On Call Fire Department for 28 years. He was a past member of the All Slav Club and Slovenian Union of America.

Karl Rukavina, 88, of Winton, a proud Korean War Veteran, passed away on Tuesday, December 3, 2019 at the Boundary Waters Care Center in Ely. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Gregory Lynn “Greg” Askeland, 64, of Sioux City passed away Sunday, December 1, 2019 of natural causes. A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, December 6, 2019 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sioux City. Pastor David Carlson will officiate. Burial will be at a later date. Online condolences may be directed to www.meyerbroschapels.com.

Greg was born March 4, 1955 in Estherville, Iowa. He had recently relocated to Sioux City, Iowa, a city he loved and the place where he had raised his children, Katy Herbold and Eric Askeland, with their mother Susan Askeland.

Robert L. “Bob” Bodine, 80, of Virginia passed away Sunday, November 10, 2019 at Essentia Health Northern Pines Nursing Home in Aurora.

He was born February 25, 1939 in Soudan to Bernard and Lempi (Kultala) Bodine; grew up in Soudan and graduated from Tower-Soudan High School in 1957. Bob was active in the Tower-Soudan High School Band and the Soudan Band. He graduated from Ely Junior College and Stout State University in Menomonie, WI.

Bob was united in marriage to Paulette R. Nikkinen on April 9, 1960 in Ely. He resided in Ely, Tower and Babbitt and had been a Virginia resident since 1996,

He was a member of Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Virginia, a former member of United Steelworkers Union local 4108 of Aurora. Bob worked as a lab technician for Erie Mining Company in Aurora, in the office for Reserve Mining Company in Babbitt and retired in 2001 as a heavy equipment operator for LTV Mining in Aurora after 37 years of service.

Leona June Krensing (nee Smith), age 85, passed away peacefully on November 26, 2019 at Carefree Living in Babbitt, MN after a long illness.
“Tootie” was born on June 2, 1934 in Clear Lake, SD and was raised in Browns Valley, MN where she met her schoolmate and future husband Keith William Krensing. They married on September 2, 1952. In 1956, after Keith’s tour in Korea as an army sergeant, they moved to Babbitt when Keith began working as a foreman with Reserve Mining Company (later North Shore Mining). Together they had six children. Tootie worked at the Babbitt Clinic as a medical secretary and spent many summers behind the counter at the Babbitt Golf Course. They loved their adopted home of Babbitt and enjoyed the area’s great outdoors, sporting events, services and activities at the local Catholic church, and their many friends and acquaintances.

Mark A. Anderson, age 70, of Apple Valley passed away 11/22/19.
Preceded in death by parents, John and Eleanor (Berg) Anderson.
Survived by wife, Jill (Starkey) Anderson; daughter Gina (Andrew) Esby; son Jay Anderson; daughter Leah Anderson; grandchildren Hayley and Edward Esby.
Celebration of Life will take place on Sunday, December 8th, 2019 from 1:00-5:00pm at the InterContinental Saint Paul Riverfront Hotel (Great River Ballroom).
Memorials preferred to CaringBridge and Bois Forte Band of Chippewa. Visit markandersonmemorial.com for further details.