Obituaries

Art DeBernardi, 89, of Foley, died September 18, 2018 at the St. Cloud Hospital after a short illness. A Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 AM, Friday, September 21, 2018 at St. John’s Catholic Church in Foley. Visitation will be from 9:00 to 11:00 AM, Friday at the church. Military Honors will be provided by the Foley American Legion, Post 298. Burial will take place on Monday, September 24, 2018 at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Little Falls. Service with Dignity provided by the Foley Funeral Home.
Arthur John DeBernardi was born on October 14, 1928 in Ely, Minnesota to Enrico and Geramina (Magnatti) DeBernardi.
He graduated from Ely High School in 1948 and served in the US Army from 1951-1953 where he was stationed in Germany. After the service, Art attended Jr. College in Ely and excelled in both school and sports. He was offered a contract as a kicker for the Los Angeles Rams but declined.

Janet M. (Toms) Johnson passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 15, 2018 in her home in Houston, amid her loving family. She was born to Edwin W. and May (Mary Meenahan) Toms at St. Mary’s Hospital in Duluth, MN on November 7, 1933.
She grew up in Ely, MN, graduating from high school in 1951. Janet worked as a Nurse’s Aide at the Shipman Hospital during her high school years and while she attended Ely Junior College for a year in preparation for transfer to the nursing program at the Villa of St. Scholastica in Duluth. Janet graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree and worked as a surgical nurse for a year at St. Mary’s hospital in Duluth. She then moved to Denver, CO where she worked at Presbyterian Hospital.

Gretchen Webber Lobe, age 102 of Ely died Wednesday, September 12, 2018 at

Our beautiful, feisty, precious and dear mom, Mary Theresa (Lesar) Smuk, 88, died after a brief stay at BWCC in Ely, MN on September 10, 2018.
Mary was born in Ely on January 25, 1930 to Theresa Russ Lesar and Louis Lesar. She graduated from high school in 1948. She met the love of her life, Frank Lawrence (Kungie) Smuk, in Ely and they married on July 19, 1952 after Frank’s honorable service in the US Army and WWII. They had five children and raised them in the Chandler area of town - a lively, fun, safe, and caring neighborhood. She remained a life-long resident of Ely, residing in the same home for over sixty years.
Mary worked at Vertin’s, Montgomery Wards, Trygg Land Office, Barbara Ann Bakery and Catering, Veteran’s Retreat, and lastly at Irresistible Ink – where she worked for fifteen years until the age of 80!

Verne Matson, age 87, of Babbitt, MN and formerly of Fosston, MN, passed away on Monday, September 3rd, at Swedish Hospital in Edmonds, Washington. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 13th, at Bethel Assembly Church in Fosston with Pastor Seth Johnson officiating. Interment will be in Mamre Cemetery, rural Fosston. Visitation will be held for one hour prior to the service on Thursday at the church. Arrangements are with the Carlin Funeral Home of Fosston and messages of condolence may be sent at www.carlinfuneral.com. A memorial service will be scheduled for friends and family in Washington at a later date.

Thomas Krogen Woods (TK), age 96 of Ashland passed away at Court Manor Health Services in Ashland on Wednesday, Sept 5, with family by his side. Tom was born on March 17, 1922 in Bottineau, ND to Monte and Anna (Krogen) Woods, the oldest of nine children.
Tom graduated from Bottineau High School in 1939 and went to college at Fargo State in Fargo, ND to pursue a degree in Pharmacy. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942 and went to basic training in Spartanburg, SC. From there Tom went to France where he was wounded in action.

Mary Ann Ohms Lax, 1931-2018, formerly of Isabella MN, passed away on August 30, 2018 surrounded by family at her home in Maple Grove, MN.
Mary is survived by her eight children and their spouses: Lisa Lax (Burlington, VT); Jon Lax and wife Carrie Odgers (Oakland, NJ); Juli and husband Marcel Meilleur (St. Croix, USVI); Susan Lax (Springfield, VT); Jane Lax (Albany, NY); Stacey Lax (Burlington, VT); Jeffrey Lax and wife Marianne (Franconia, NH); and George McNulty, Jr. and wife Tracy (Robbinsdale, MN). Mary is also survived by five grandchildren: Aaron and Jeanna Lax; Mira and Isaac Steinzor; Nathan Lax; and Kellen and Pierce McNulty. She was predeceased by her husband Hilmar Lax (1964), her parents, and four brothers: John, Albert, Robert, and Edward Ohms.

Desiree (Smuk) Grigsby, 61, passed away peacefully on Sept. 1, 2018 in New Hope, Minnesota after a year-long fight with cancer. Desiree was born in Ely, MN on March 28, 1957 to William Stanley and Gloria (Bianchi) Smuk.
Desiree was baptized and confirmed in St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Ely. Wherever Desiree moved she sought out her Catholic faith.
Desiree graduated from Ely Memorial High School in 1975 and went on to receive her degree in business. She worked at Salerno Land Sales for many years, and as a closing specialist at Arrowhead Abstract and Northeast Title. She spent many years as an office manager, then as an Executive Legal Secretary at Defenbaugh Law Office in Ely.
She enjoyed reading, biking, walking and being outdoors. Recently she learned how to kayak from her good friend JoAnn Moats Bilben and loved it. Desiree enjoyed live Blues music and would attend many performances with her friend Iris Hodges and met many great performers.

Elinor Marie Johnson, 90, of Grand Rapids, MN, died peacefully on Wednesday August 29, 2018 at Grand Itasca Hospital.
Elinor was born in 1927 in Ely, MN to John “Jack” and Mary Poshak. She grew up in Ely and attended the Ely schools. She met and married Willis A. Johnson in Seattle, Wa on November 21, 1947, moved to Chicago for several years and eventually returned to Ely to settle down with her family.
Elinor was the Office Manager for Dr. Edward Ciriacy’s Clinic and Clinic Manager for the Ely Medical Center. She retired as Clinic Manager for the Duluth Clinic in Ely, Tower, and Babbitt.
She was active in Girl Scouts, First Presbyterian Church of Ely, Job’s Daughters, and was a past Worthy Matron of Eastern Star.

Verna Mae (McLaughlin) Peterson, 93, died Thursday August 30 at her home in Carefree Living. She was born in Ely to Paul and Hilma (Perttula) McLaughlin on March 3, 1925. She attended Ely schools and on September 19, 1944 she married the love of her life William Daniel Peterson. Together they raised their six children at their home in Winton. Verna was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
She was preceded in death by her husband Bill, parents, brothers: Thomas, Leonard, Wilfred, Robert, sisters: Mildred Salminen and Myrtle Kangas, and great-grandson Noah.