Obituaries

John Norman Viken, 85, of Ely, Minnesota passed away on Wednesday, December 5 in the loving arms of his family at the Minnesota Veteran’s Home in Silver Bay, MN after a long goodbye due to Alzheimer’s disease.
John was born Norman John Viken Jr. on March 22nd, 1933 in St. Paul to Norman and Loraine Viken. He was a protective big brother to his two younger sisters Cindy and Sandra. John enjoyed hanging out with “neighborhood gang” of lifelong friends. He started following in his father’s professional photography footsteps as the photographer for the school newspaper and yearbook, graduating in 1951 from Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis, MN.

Joseph (Joe) Telich, age 96, left us on December 11, 2018 at Care Free Living in Ely, Minnesota. He was born in Ely on September 16, 1922
at Shipman Hospital to Frank and Jeannie Telich. He is survived by his wife Florence of Ely, daughter Jo Ann Erickson of Le Bugue, France, sister Katherine Lenich of Ely, sister Jean Vasicek of Florida, nephew Matt Smrekar of Ely and numerous other nieces and nephews.

Joe enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1942 and was attached to the 4th Marine Division. He first saw action in the Marshall Islands where he was wounded and received the Purple Heart. He later joined another Division in which he continued the fight on Saipan, Tinian and then Iwo Jima.

After the war, he met Florence Zitko in Cleveland at a "Minnesota Gopher Club". They fell in love, married in 1949 and in 1955 moved back to Ely.

Mary Klun was born on June 2, 1928 in Ely, Minnesota to Mary and Frank Delak. She married Ed Klun on May 13, 1950 and they spent 46 happy years together. She enjoyed waitressing at Vertin’s restaurant for many years and ran the Ely Surplus store with Ed until they retired. She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend to everyone that she cared about, putting everyone she loved ahead of herself. She cared for Ed after he was diagnosed with cancer and then spent over 16 years caring for Evan and Carrie’s family. Her favorite pastime was ironing, even our jeans had to have a sharp crease and the sheets were always pressed. She left us on December, 7, 2018 after a short illness.
She lived right up until the end with a smile on her face and a kind word to all. We are honored and privileged to have had her in our lives for over 90 years.

Nickolas Przybylski, 85, of Ely passed away peacefully on Thursday, December 6, 2018 at the Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital surrounded by his family.
Nick was born on July 12, 1933 in Withee, WI to John and Ann (Stibak) Przybylski. He married his high school sweetheart, the love of his life, Carol Wattunen on November 15, 1952.
He and Carol enjoyed raising their seven children in Winton, MN. His family was his pride and joy and was his greatest accomplishment.
Nick was a hard worker, having multiple jobs throughout his life to provide for his family. He bartended, logged, mined at the Pioneer Mine until its closure and then at Reserve Mining; was co-owner of Anderson Produce “The Chicken Farm” with two of his brothers. Later in life he took great pleasure working for the USFS in their Senior Program and then at the Recycling Center in Ely, where he enjoyed chatting with many customers.

Michael Anthony Berven Winterringer, 47, died peacefully at home on Sunday December 2, 2018.
Michael was a kind, friendly and generous man who enjoyed fishing, ringing bell for the Salvation Army and most of all his lord and savior.

Mildred “Millie” Alice Soderberg Cooley passed away peacefully on November 29 2018, in Ely, MN at the age of 102. “Millie” was born in Soudan, MN, on August 1, 1916, one of 12 children. Her father, Gustaf “Charles” and Mother Signe Soderberg were Swedish immigrants who took advantage of the mining opportunities that were available on the Iron Range.
An independent person, Millie left the Iron Range in her late teens, and some years later, married James Cooley from South Dakota. WWII created some challenges but during the war, the US Navy moved them to Philadelphia, PA, followed by a move to Long Beach, CA. After the war, they made their home in Whittier, CA, area where they raised their two children, Linda and James.

Mark Fisher, 98, of Winton, died on December 5, 2018, in Ely at the Carefree Living facility, where he had been living for the past several months. Mark was born in Philadelphia in 1920 and moved some years later to Chicago, where he lived with his parents and five siblings, all of whom preceded him in death.
Mark was never married but he has several generations of surviving nieces and nephews. He would have been 99 years old next month.
Mark was educated at St. John’s Military Academy in Wisconsin and then the University of Chicago. He served in WWII, working as a radio operator and in the Signal Corps in Panama and on several assignments stateside. After the war he worked in Chicago for United Press International as a reporter, where he often covered the local police beat. It was in the early ’50s that Mark traveled to northern Minnesota to fish, where he discovered the stunning beauty of the area. He soon moved to Ely.

Thomas Edmund Davis, 28, passed away on November 22, 2018. Tom was born to Laura Bauman Davis and William Witherspoon Woods Davis Jr. on September 17, 1990 in Glen Falls, New York.
Tom was truly one of a kind. Tom had the biggest heart, brightest smile and an amazing spirit. You are truly blessed if you are able call him your brother, son, nephew, grandson, cousin, uncle, or friend. We will forever hold his spirit and smile in our hearts.
His early years were spent in New York until his parents moved to Conroe, Texas. Tom grew up in a great family and neighborhood. He was active in local sports and played football in high school. After graduation, he attended college and trade school. He worked in his Dad’s Construction Company (FSSI) along with his brother, Bill. He was a valued part of the team.
Tom had great plans for the future, unfortunately his time with us was cut short.

Charles Russell Johnson, age 77, a lifetime resident of Ely, passed away on Sunday, November 25, 2018.
He was born on April 13, 1941 to Russell and Vera Johnson.
Chas was an avid outdoorsman. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, trapping, four-wheeling and spending time at the shack with his family and friends. Chas also loved to go camping, painting, drawing, collecting many things and gardening.
He really enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren. He always had some goofy antics going on to make people laugh.
He will be greatly missed by many people who loved him dearly.
Chas is survived by his wife Cindy, sons Chris Johnson, Chad (Kristy) Johnson, daughter Tracy (Daniel) Timm, stepdaughter Amanda (Paul) Jiacik, grandchildren: Cory, Kelsey, Hunter, Kyle, Madelene, Kasey and Savannah; and great-grandchild Nolen Johnson.
He was preceded in death by his parents Russell and Vera Johnson, his first wife Trudell Johnson and daughter Jamie Johnson.

Mildred Cooley, 102, of Ely passed away on Thursday, November 29, 2018 at the Boundary Waters Care Center. Family arrangements entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home.