Obituaries: September 29, 2023

Judy B. Stapleton
Judy B. Stapleton, 82, of Mt. Iron, formerly of Tower, passed away on Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023, at Essentia Health - St. Mary’s Medical Center Hospice Unit in Duluth. The family would like to thank St. Mary’s Hospice team for their care and compassion shown to Judy. A Memorial Mass was held on Wednesday, Sept. 27 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Virginia with Rev. Fr. Peter Lambert as celebrant. Burial will be at a later date in Calvary Cemetery in Virginia. Memorials are preferred. Arrangements are with Landmark Funeral Home in Virginia.
Judy was born on July 19, 1941, in Virginia, to Edward and Margaret Lambert Golden and graduated from Mt. Iron High School in 1959. In 1960 she married her high school sweetheart, Larry Wayne Peterson. Judy was a stay-at-home mother until her three children were in school, then she worked at Plaza Hardware in Virginia and at Marttila Drugs in Tower until her cancer diagnosis in 2007. Judy married Allan Stapleton on June 29, 2003, in Tower.
She is survived by her husband, Allan of Mt. Iron; his children, Jeffrey (Lisa), Thomas (Vicki), Dale, and Roxanne (Dave) Ferrian; her daughter, Tammy (Brad) Hejda; her sons, Daniel (Cathy) Peterson and David R. Peterson; seven grandchildren, Jason Ness, Casey Ness, Bradley Peterson, Brent Peterson, Danielle (Brian) Wagenbach, Amanda (Don) LeBlanc and Dylan Peterson; twelve great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; brother, John Golden; sister-in-law, Kathy Golden; and brothers-in-law, Robert Peterson and Edward (Kathy) Peterson.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, Larry; brother, Michael E. Golden; brother and sister-in-law, Floyd and Mary Ann Peterson; sister-in-law, Janice Peterson; and Allan’s son, Allan Stapleton, Jr.

Donald M. Halunen
Donald M. Halunen, 87, of Virgina and Lake Vermilion, died peacefully on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023, surrounded by his loving family at Edgewood Senior Living Community. A memorial service was held on Thursday, Sept. 28 at Gethsemane Evangelical Lutheran Church in Virginia. Military honors were accorded by the Virginia Serviceman’s Honor Guard. Inurnment was in the Calvary Cemetery Columbarium. Memorials are preferred and may be directed to the Lake Vermilion Cultural Center, PO Box 659, Tower, MN 55790. Family services were provided by Bauman-Cron, a Bauman Family Funeral Home in Virginia.
He is survived by three children, Dawn (Michael) Johnson of Northbrook, Ill., Robert Halunen of Virginia and Clayton Halunen (David Duddingston) of Minneapolis and Lake Vermilion; grandchildren, Drew Halunen, Dane Halunen, Cameron Johnson and Ellis Johnson; sisters, Pat Willis and Gayle Moorhead; brothers, Rodney Halunen and Danial Nakari; nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.