Obituaries

Paul Eugene Kyllonen, 57, of Fort Collins, CO passed away suddenly at Palmer Station Antarctica on October 23, 2018. He was born on June 11, 1961 to Eugene and Ellen Kyllonen in Ely MN. He graduated from Ely High School and Staples Vocational Technical Institute heavy equipment diesel mechanics program. Upon graduation he moved to W Palm Beach FL where he worked as a mechanic until 1991. His love of adventure and the environment led him to work for the next 27 years in Antarctica and Greenland supporting the work of scientists from around the world studying climate change and the effects of pollution. He had the unique distinction of working at every station on the continent of Antarctica and the nickname MacGyver for his ability to fix anything with little at hand. He crossed some of the most forbidding terrain on Earth as part of the traverse team that drove supplies to remote stations.

Leroy “Roy” Jenson of Embarrass joined this world on September 23, 1945. Son of Clarence Jenson and Clara Jenson. Brother of Delores, and Marvel.

Roy was drafted into the United States Army in 1965-1967. He proudly served his country during the Vietnam War as a helicopter gunner. In later years he so enjoyed exchanges with other Veterans and those individuals who would approach him and thank him for his service.

Roy first met his sweety, Pam in 1986-1987 while in Law Enforcement. Life happened. Pam and Roy were able to reconnect in 1992 and blended their two families on April 18, 1998.

Robert (Bob) Kovall was born December 5, 1919 to Steve and Margaret (Starcinich) Kovall. He died in the gentle, caring hands of Boundary Waters Care Center and Essentia Hospice on March 25, 2019 in his 100th year of life.

Leroy Jenson, 73, Embarrass, passed away Friday, March 22, 2019 in Ely Bloomenson Hospital with wife Pam by his side. Arrangements and full obituary are pending with Kerntz Funeral Home, Ely.

Richard Dean “Rick” Tomsich, 61, of Tower, passed away on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, at Essentia Health St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth.
He was born on August 8, 1957, in Ely, the youngest of seven children, to Leonard “Lanko” and Nelmi (Carlson) Tomsich. Rick was a lifelong resident of Tower. He attended Tower-Soudan High School, where he played basketball and football, graduating in 1975.
He learned the family business, Tower Bakery, first hand, alongside his parents and sisters and brothers. He worked at the bakery from age 14 until it’s closing in 1990. He then worked for Pep’s Bakery in Virginia for many years and then continued on to make the famous “Tower Bakery” pasties for everyone to enjoy.

Ladonna "Donna" Bramley, 88, of Babbitt, passed away on Friday, March 15, 2019 at Essentia Health- St. Mary's Medical Center in Duluth. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

Albert “Al” Dietz Jr., 75, a US Army Veteran passed away on Sunday, March 10, 2019 at the Boundary Waters Care Center. He was a devout Catholic and his faith sustained him as he lived courageously and hopefully with lymphoma.
Al was born in Sleepy Eye, MN April 7, 1943. He is preceded in death by his parents Mary (Sorensen) and Albert J. Dietz Sr. Al is survived by his sister Caroline Dietz-Carlson and Johan Carlson, and his brother Michael Dietz and special friend Tammy Sellner as well as many friends.
Albert served in the US Army, Fort Leonard Wood, MO, Fort Bliss, Texas, and South Korea from 1965 to 1967. He was proud of his service and enjoyed sharing that experience with others.

Robert Haapala passed away on March 8, 2019 at the Boundary Waters Care Center. Robert was born on September 3, 1934 to August and Jennie (Herrala) Haapala. Robert was preceded in death by his parents; wife of 63 years, Clarice; siblings: Harry, Lauri, Bill, Leonard, Delores and Lilian; and grandson Neil.
Robert is survived by his children: Larry (Deb) Haapala, Ellen (Pat) Trancheff, Diane Ellis, Robin Haapala (Cory King), and Terri (Kevin) Pylka; brother in-law Alan (Rosemary) Maki, sisters-in-law: Ina Haapala and Jane Maki; grandchildren: John and Robert Ellis, Michael Shoden, Brian (Elina) Trancheff, Katrina Jensen (Adam Thole), Laura Trancheff, Jared Pylka, Trevor and Taylor King and Lily Pylka; step-grandchildren Brian, Thea Sheridan (Darren Tesser) and Matthew (Jessica) Sheridan; great-grandchildren: Lita Ellis, Tori Fleck, Zander Ellis and Ella Trancheff; special friend Joan Olson; and numerous family and friends.

Rita Beron Myntti, of Duluth, 92, died on March 5, 2019 at the Hospice of St Luke’s Hospital from complications of a fall. She was born to Raymond and Gilberte (Lachance) Beron on April 7, 1927 at home in Proctor, MN. She graduated from Proctor High School in the class of 1945.
Rita married Donald C Myntti on November 26, 1947 at St. Rose Catholic Church in Proctor, Minnesota. Yvonne McDonald, of Proctor, and Sigurd Olson Jr, of Ely, were attendants. Over their married life Rita and Don had five children and moved 25 times, cross-crossing the United States following Don’s mining and naval careers.

Marilyn Johnson, 82, of White Bear Lake, formerly of Ely passed away on March 2, 2019, after a fall on a wonderful trip to Costa Rica. She was born on July 13, 1936, in Cohasset, Minnesota. She was preceded in death by her parents, Arlie and Eleanor Clusiau. She was survived by her beloved husband, Bruce, her son, Mark (Désirée), her daughter, Denise, her son, Jeff (Holly), 8 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren (with another girl on the way). She was in one of the first classes at the University of Minnesota to get a degree in Physical Therapy. She was a devout Catholic, working in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults and bringing communion to the homebound, among other duties. When Marilyn said she would pray for you, she meant it, and she kept a current written prayer list that she attended to every evening. She loved and was loved by many, many people. One of the songs she loved was “You Gotta Dance Till You Drop” by Robert Robinson, and she did.