OBITUARIES
Diane M. Newman
Dec 31, 2020
Diane M. Newman, 83, passed away on Thursday, December 31, 2020 at Villa Maria Health and Rehabilitation in Hurley. Diane was born on April 24, 1937 in Ironwood the daughter of Charles and Eva (Tomich) Tolvanen. Diane was baptized on June 20, 1937 at Holy Trinity Church in Ironwood. She was a graduate of L.L. Wright High School. Diane was...
Michael Ragsdale
Dec 30, 2020
Michael Ragsdale Jr, 36, of Ironwood passed away of natural causes on December 30, 2020. Michael was born the son of Michael and Michele (Flanigan) Ragsdale on November 13, 1984. Michael had an infectious sense of humor and an easy laugh. He regularly brought his witty humor into the most mundane situations and could have an entire room filled with...
Patricia Ann Cattelino
Dec 29, 2020
Patricia Ann Cattelino (neé Allen), 87, died peacefully on December 29, 2020 Pat was the eldest of six siblings who grew up in Vermont and Madison, Wisconsin. After graduating from Madison West High School, she matriculated at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, from which she earned a degree in home economics. Shortly after graduation in 1954, and with a driver's...
Mary (Gentile) Paoli
Dec 28, 2020
Mary (Gentile) Paoli, 97, a lifelong resident of the area passed away on December 28, 2020 at Aspirus Hospital in Wausau. She was born on November 15, 1923 in Hurley, the second oldest of eight siblings to the late Domenic and Ida (Lerza) Gentile. Mary attended St. Mary's Grade School and graduated from the Lincoln High School in Hurley with...
Agnes M. Brody
Dec 28, 2020
Agnes M Brody,99, entered into eternal life on Monday, December 28, 2020. She was born on August 17, 1921, to Stephen & Anna (Lajcak) Buchko in Ironwood and attended A.L. Norrie School and graduated from L.L. Wright High School. On January 3, 1941, she was united in marriage to Robert J Brody at Holy Trinity Catholic Church by the late...
Kathryn Frances (Lundgren) Mieloszyk
Dec 27, 2020
Kathryn Frances (Lundgren) Mieloszyk, 88, of Hurley, Wisconsin and formerly of Ironwood Township, Michigan, died unexpectedly on Sunday, December 27, 2020 at the Sky View Nursing Center in Hurley with her sons, Michael and Timothy, by her side Kathryn "Kappy" was born on January 27, 1932 in St. Paul, Minnesota and was the eldest of 13 children born to the...
Edith A. Kaari
Dec 26, 2020
Edith A. Kaari, 99, of Hurley passed away on December 26, 2020, at the Villa Maria Health and Rehabilitation Center in Hurley. Edith was born on February 9, 1921, in Gurney, the daughter of Thomas and Annie (Mushal) Baribeau. She attended school in Curry, Wisconsin and graduated from Saxon High School in 1939. She dairy farmed for many years and...
Marjorie Jane Smith
Dec 23, 2020
Marjorie Jane Smith, 94, passed away on Wednesday, December 23, 2020, at Villa Marie Health & Rehabilitation in Hurley. Marjorie was born on July 16, 1926, in Ironwood to John and Anna (Mayercak) Kozak. She attended Norrie Elementary and Luther L. Wright High School in Ironwood. She then moved to Detroit to work for the Ferry-Morse Seed Company. Marjorie moved...
Vienna E. Forslund
Dec 22, 2020
Vienna E. Forslund, aged 94, was called home by her Heavenly Father on December 22, 2020. She had been a resident at Gogebic Medical Care Facility in Wakefield since October, 2017. At the time of her death, her sister and roommate Viola Manninen, was by her side. Vienna was born on March 6, 1926, to Julius and Aino Johnson in...
Eila Kivi-Thomas
Dec 21, 2020
Eila Kivi-Thomas, 87, passed away on Monday, December 21, 2020 at Villa Maria Health & Rehabilitation in Hurley. Eila was born on September 1, 1933 in Iron Belt to Kaino and Aina (Kangas) Reinikainen. As a little girl she had wonderful memories of Iron Belt and the Kangas family farm. The family moved to Marshfield, where she graduated from high...
Robert J. Piete
Dec 18, 2020
Robert J. Pieti, 92 of Hurley, WI, died peacefully at the Villa Maria Health and Rehabilitation Center on December 18, 2020. He was born September 1, 1928, in Saxon, Wisconsin, the son of the late Carlo and Elizabeth (Cloud) Pieti. Robert grew up in Saxon, WI with his siblings and graduated from Saxon High School. In 1945-1951 Robert left to...
Diane Halverson
Dec 17, 2020
Diane Halverson, 61, passed away peacefully in her home on December 17, 2020, after a courageous battle with cancer. Diane, the daughter of Gladys and Donald DeRosie was born on March 24, 1959, at the Wakefield Hospital. She graduated from A.D. Johnson High School in Bessemer with the class of 1977. She then attended the Patricia Stevens Career College earning...
Nancy Iknayan
Dec 16, 2020
Nancy J. Iknayan, 78, of Bessemer Township, Michigan passed away on December 16, 2020, at the Villa Maria Health and Rehabilitation Center in Hurley. Nancy was born on May 24, 1942, in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, the daughter of George and Jean (Eliott) Kane. She was an office manager for a medical office. Nancy is survived by her husband, Charles;...
Elmer Waurio
Dec 16, 2020
Eino E. "Elmer" Waurio, 90, formerly of Ironwood Township passed away on December 16, 2020, at Villa Maria Health and Rehabilitation Center in Hurley. Elmer was born on April 14, 1930, in Ironwood Township, the son of Victor and Matilda (Lake) Waurio. He attended Ironwood area schools and graduated from American Schools in Chicago, Illinois. He lived in Ironwood Township...
George C. Champion
Dec 12, 2020
George C. Champion, 95, of Ironwood Township, Michigan passed away on December 12, 2020, at Villa Maria Health & Rehabilitation Center in Hurley, Wisconsin due to Covid-19. George was born on July 8, 1925, in Ironwood, Michigan, son of William R. and Edna (Johnson) Champion. He attended local schools and graduated from Luther L. Wright High School. He enlisted in...
Joan F. Buchko
Dec 12, 2020
Joan F. "Joanie" Buchko, 91, of Ironwood passed away on December 12, 2020, at Westgate Nursing, Rehabilitation & Assisted Living Community in Ironwood. She was born September 6, 1929, in Ironwood, daughter of the late Oliver and Frances (Kutil) Surprenant, and graduated with honors at Luther L. Wright High School. Joan was a member of Our Lady of Peace Catholic...
Helen Duray
Dec 11, 2020
Helen Duray, 76, of Ironwood went to be with the Lord on Dec. 11, 2020. She was born on Feb. 24, 1944, to Mathew and Lillian (Jarvenpaa) Hongisto at Divine Infant Hospital in Wakefield. Helen graduated from Hurley High School. She was married to Michael Choronzy and they had three children together. Helen lived in Appleton, Wisconsin, for a time...
Edward A. Blomquist
Dec 9, 2020
Edward A. "Eddie" Blomquist, 90, of Ironwood passed away on December 9, 2020, at Aspirus Ironwood Hospital. Edward was born on April 25, 1930, in Ironwood, the son of John and Hildur (Anderson) Blomquist. He attended local schools and graduated from Luther L. Wright High School in Ironwood in 1948. He served in the U. S. Army during the Korean...
Annamae F. Toth
Dec 8, 2020
AnnaMae F. (Kurta) Toth, 91, of Ironwood passed away on December 8, 2020, at Westgate Nursing, Rehabilitation and Assisted Living Community in Ironwood. She was born on March 24, 1929, in Ironwood, the daughter of Joseph and Anna (Sopko) Kurta. She attended local schools and graduated from Luther L Wright High School in 1947. On September 13, 1947, Anna Mae...
Minnie A. Synkelma
Dec 4, 2020
Minnie A. Synkelma, 103, of Ironwood, passed away on December 4, 2020, at the Gogebic Medical Care Facility in Wakefield. She was born October 21, 1917, in Bessemer Township, the daughter of Frank and Anna (Pellikka) Kujala. She attended Puritan School in Bessemer Township. Minnie was married to John Synkelma on October 6, 1937 in Bessemer by the Rev. Frank...
