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Serving Northern St. Louis County, Minnesota

Obituaries - Sept. 7, 2018

Posted

Muriel G. Lamken

Muriel G. Thierer Lamken, 95, of Tower, passed away on Monday, Aug. 13, 2018, at the Virginia Regional Medical Center. A Celebration of Life will be held at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 9 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Soudan with Reverend Greg Anderson officiating. A gathering of family and friends will be for one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be in Lakeview Cemetery in Tower at a later date. Arrangements are with Landmark Funeral Home of Virginia.

Muriel was born on March 24, 1923, in Soudan, the daughter of Oscar and Anna (Gustafson) Korpi. She was raised in Soudan and graduated from Tower-Soudan High School. She was united in marriage to Clifford Thierer on March 23, 1946, in Milwaukee, Wis., where they lived for two years before moving to Soudan. After raising their children, they moved to Virginia where Muriel attended the LPN course at the Virginia Regional Medical Center and received her degree. She worked at the Pioneer Infirmary in Virginia for many years. Clifford passed away on March 10, 1989.

On Aug. 25, 1992, Muriel married Charles Lamken at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Soudan. They traveled extensively during the early years of their marriage. They visited the Scandinavian countries, Hawaii and numerous other points in the United States. They made their home in Soudan for a number of years before moving to Golden Horizons in Tower. Charles passed away on Feb. 20, 2008.

Muriel was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Soudan where she was very active. She loved socializing, Bible study, Chub Club and spending time with her family.

Muriel is survived by her daughter, Penny (Bill) Hiltunen of Tower; sons, John (Ronda) Thierer of Duluth and James (Teri) Thierer of Pike Township; nine grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; son-in-law, Don Crayne of Vermilion Lake Township; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Clifford Thierer and Charles Lamken; son, Clifford “Duff” Thierer; daughter, Mary Ann Crayne; grandson, Zach Thierer; brothers, Stafford and John Korpi; sisters, Elsie Klitzke, Grace Peliska and Ann Wilson.

Teresa Erickson

Teresa Miller Erickson, 50, of Embarrass, died unexpectedly on Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018, in Essentia St. Mary’s Hospital in Duluth. Visitation will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 7 at Bauman Family Funeral Home in Tower. Inurnment will take place at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 8 in the Embarrass Cemetery. Following the inurnment, a Celebration of Life will be held at Timber Hall in Embarrass. Family services are provided by Bauman-Vermilion, a Bauman Family Funeral Home in Tower.

Teresa will be remembered as a strong advocate for ALS Awareness. Her family extends thanks to all who provided assistance and help on Saturday evening.

She is survived by her sons, Travis, Eric and Ethan Erickson, all of Embarrass; extended family, Sam and Jared of Embarrass and Haley of Hibbing; parents, Sarah (Rod) Maki of Embarrass and Kenneth Miller of Aurora; sisters, Angie (Jeff) Miller of Soudan, Stacy (Troy) Davidson of Babbitt, Sherry (Jerry) Maki of Biwabik, Page (Bo) Miller of Embarrass and Mariaha Woitel of Virginia; brothers, Michael Miller of Virginia and Matthew (Jessica) Woitel of Ohio; mother-in-law; sisters-in-law; brother-in-law; numerous extended family and friends.

Verna M. Peterson

Verna Mae McLaughlin Peterson, 93, died on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, at her home in Carefree Living. A memorial service was held on Saturday, Sept. 1 at First Lutheran Church in Ely with Pastor Jonathan Varns officiating. A private inurnment is planned for a later date. Funeral arrangements are through Kerntz Funeral Home in Ely.

She is survived by her children, Susan Jean (John) Franklin of Chicago, Daniel of Winton, Paula (Nick) Mattila of Ely, Peggy (Bob) Koschak of Fall Lake, Jim (Sue) of Fall Lake and Clyde (Karin) of Ely; grandchildren, Nicole Maryn of Ramsey, Kelly Cole of Otsego, Justin Koschak of Virginia, Melissa Chapman of Big Lake, Ark., Bill Peterson of St. Paul, Carlye McKinsey of San Francisco, Calif., Jared Peterson of Kansas City, Mo., Linnea Held of Forest Grove, Ore., and Eric Peterson of Ely; ten great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Robert O. Mattila

Robert Oscar Mattila, 87, of Ely, passed away at home on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018. A funeral service was held on Sunday, Sept. 2 at the Ely United Methodist Church. Family arrangements were entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.

He is survived by his wife, Joyce; children, DeAnn (Wesley) Birdsong, Michelle (Mark) Posch, Bryan (Michele) Mattila and Darren (Christine) Mattila; sister, Judy Strezishar of Aurora, Colo.; brother-in-law, Arthur Moats of Ely; eleven grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and many nephews and nieces.

Louis Thiel

Louis Thiel, 87, of Babbitt, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018 at Diamond Willow. A funeral service was held on Friday, Aug. 31 at Range Funeral Home with Donovan Goblirsch officiating. Burial was at Argo Cemetery in Babbitt. Military Honors were accorded by the Virginia Honor Guard. Arrangements were with Range Funeral Home in Virginia.

He is survived by his children, Ken Thiel (Margi Ann) of Virginia, Vicky (Dennis) Harrington of Nashwauk, Mark Thiel (Beth Carlson) of Embarrass, Brenda (John) Kilpela of Makinen and Stacy Thiel (Jeff Lackner) of Virginia; nine grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

Muriel Lamken, Teresa Erickson, Verna Peterson, Robert Mattila, Louis Thiel