Obituaries

Edward C Marsolek Sr, 79, of Ely died April 19, 2019 at Essentia St. Mary’s Hospital, Duluth following a courageous battle after a sudden medical event.
Ed was born on May 20, 1939 in Independence Wisconsin to DA and Aggie (Matchey) Marsolek. He married Jean Klimek on September 1st, 1962. He graduated from Independence high school in 1957, attended UW Stevens-Point studying biology. Shortly after he joined the US Army and served as a military police officer. After visiting Ely and falling in love with it he moved there in 1969 and made it his home. He worked for the US forest service for 31 and a half years as a water quality technician.

Elizabeth F. (LeRoy) Ransom passed away on Tuesday, March 26, 2019 at the age of 77. Betty was born to Elsie (Paappanan) and Roy LeRoy on January 31, 1942 in Ely, Minnesota and was a graduate of Ely Memorial High School. She made a career in nursing and worked at the Ah Gwah Ching Nursing Home until her retirement. Betty was an accomplished artist, who enjoyed her garden, watching birds and deer, collecting rocks and cruising the backroads with her co-pilot, Leo.
Family preceding her in death are her parents; Elsie and Roy, her brothers; Daniel and Gene LeRoy and her sister; Kathleen Wiinikainen.
Those left behind to forever cherish her memory are her daughters; Cory (Larry) Hilden, and Robbi (Timothy) Gack, her grandchildren; Joshua (Carla) Bramley, Ashley (Evan) Natvig, Tad (Becky) Drechsler, and Zachary Drechsler, great grandchildren; January Bramley, Quinton Natvig, Zachary Natvig, Westyn Natvig, Amaya Drechsler, and Austen Drechsler.

Scott M. Johnson, 65, of Ely, passed away on Wednesday, April 17, 2019 at his home surrounded by his family. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

William “Bill” Campbell, 84, of Ely, passed away on Saturday, April 13, 2019 at the Boundary Waters Care Center. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Lori Kuhar, 58, of Maplewood, passed away on Wednesday, April 10, 2019 at St. Joseph's Hospital in St. Paul. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Joan I. Grund, age 79, passed away peacefully on March 6, 2019. She was surrounded by her children and grandchildren during her final days with lots of family music and chatter which is what she enjoyed most.
Joan was preceded in death by her husband John; parents, Frances (Shepel) and Fingal Lindbeck; and sister Desiree.
She is survived by daughter Heidi (Walter) Poxon of Hopkins; son Erik (Libby) Grund of Bloomington; daughter Erin (Phil Jensen) Grund of Duluth; grandchildren: Kylie, Kira, Nathan, Andrew and Brent; as well as friends and other relatives.

Merle Weckwerth of Montevideo died on Friday, March 29, 2019 at the Chippewa County Montevideo Hospital at the age of 90.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, April 2, 2019 at 11:00 AM at St. Johns Lutheran Church rural Montevideo with Rev. Kent Borglum officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
Visitation with the family will be held on Monday, April 1, 2019 from 5-7 PM at Anderson-TeBeest Funeral Home in Montevideo with a prayer service at 6:45PM

Jim Krings, 64, passed away on March 22, 2019 at the Solvay Hospice House in Duluth. Jim was an avid fisherman, who enjoyed hunting and had a great love of the outdoors.
Jim is survived by his wife Darla(Richter), his son and best friend: Cory (Amanda) Krings, brothers: David Krings and Bobby Krings; brother-in-laws: Art(Patty) Richter and David(Amy) Richter;sister-in-laws: Louise Nordling and Connie (Don) Stocks and numerous nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents: Donald and Idene Krings, a brother: Gary Krings;sister-in-laws: Ava(David) Krings and Jeannie (Bobby) Krings, father and mother-in-law: Derald and Audrey Richter; brother and sister-in-law: Danny and Krissy Richter. As per Jim’s wishes, there will be no services. Family arrangements by Kerntz Funeral Home.

Jean M. Maki, 76, of Ely, passed away on Saturday, March 30, 2019 at the Boundary Waters Care Center in Ely after a courageous four and a half year battle with cancer. She was born to the late Frank and Mary Miklausich on November 25, 1942. She married Bill Maki on July 3, 1965 and they enjoyed 54 years together.
Jean attended Ely schools, Vermilion Community College, and University of Minnesota-Duluth, where she earned her degree in elementary education. After teaching for five years, Jean’s most rewarding work was raising her family. Later, she worked for eighteen years at Pamida. She loved her family, especially her grandchildren, as well as bingo and Fortune Bay.
Jean is survived by her husband Bill, two children, Bill (Jodi) Maki and Kelly (Lance) Ronn, and five grandchildren: Madison, McKenzie, and Parker Maki and Wyatt and Whitley Ronn. She is also survived by her sister Nancy Rozman who was lovingly by her side throughout her life and cancer battle.

Terrence “Terry” Slogar of Ely, MN passed away peacefully on the afternoon of March 26, surrounded by his beloved family. He was 66 years old.
Terry was a bold, tenacious man with quick wit and a wonderful sense of humor, who deeply touched the lives of everyone he knew. He was a light of hope, a voice of truth and an endlessly loving and compassionate man.
Terry was preceded in death by parents Robert “Bunny” Slogar and Irene Hunnicutt Slogar of Ely, MN. He is survived by his loving wife Merri Slogar; son Jason Slogar and his wife Christina Slogar, grandchildren Aaron Slogar, Erika Slogar, and Taylor Slogar; daughter Sheridan Slogar. He is also survived by his brother Robert “Bobby Jo” Slogar and his wife Carol Ann Slogar; brother Kim Slogar and his wife Jean Quist, niece and nephew, Jessica Slogar and Austen Slogar; nephew Bruce Kochevar, and nieces Lynn Perrey and Brenda Erjavec.