Obituaries: April 5, 2024

Gordon C. Adams Jr.
Gordon “Jones” Clifford Adams Jr., 66, longtime resident of Nett Lake, died on Sunday, March 24, 2024, in his home from a tragic house fire. A wake was held on Friday, March 29 and a Tribal Rites funeral was held on Saturday, March 30, both at the Bois Forte Tribal Government Center in Nett Lake. The Spiritual Advisor was Billy Blackwell, assisted by Clint Miller. Family services were provided by Bauman-Cron, a Bauman Family Funeral Home in Virginia.
Gordy was born on Oct. 15, 1957, in Fort Francis, Ontario, Canada, the son of Gordon Clifford Adams Sr. and Martha Jane Burnside Adams.
Gordy “Jones” was a 1975 graduate of Orr High School and played basketball for the Orr Braves team under the direction of William “Bill” King. In 1975, the Orr Braves won the District 27 Tournament and Gordy was a member of the starting five. He was also selected as the outstanding Native Athlete his senior year. After graduation he joined the United States Marine Corps. He was an accomplished Marine and received many honorary medals including Rifle Sharpshooter, Infantry, and Good Conduct. He was honorably discharged as an E-4 Corporal in 1979.
Upon completion of his military service, Gordy worked for the Bois Forte Sawmill, served as construction manager for the Nett Lake School project, and also was an accomplished self-employed carpenter, instrumental in the remodeling of many reservation construction projects. He also worked for the Bois Forte Energy Assistance Program, was Executive Director for the Bois Forte RTC, and later served on the Bois Forte Reservation Tribal Council as District One Council Member and was elected for two terms. Gordy was well known throughout greater Indian Country, serving as a representative for the National Indian Gaming Association and as a Regional Vice President for the National Congress of American Indians. He later worked for Bois Forte Enterprises at Fortune Bay Resort Casino as the business manager and at PowerRain. He volunteered on the Bois Forte Ambulance as an EMS First Responder, took pride in his many past accomplishments, and was a proud USMC veteran.
Gordy enjoyed fishing. He loved taking his boat on Pelican Lake, fishing with his family, hunting ducks and deer, guiding, netting fish on Lake Vermilion, picking berries, and was an accomplished ricer. He enjoyed cookouts with family and friends. He took pride in raising his grandchildren, Everly and Ivy, whom he thought of as his own. On Nov. 16, 1985, he married the love of his life, Kathleen “Patsy” Day Adams in Nett Lake. They were married for 37 years. On Dec. 28, 2022, he lost the love of his life, Patsy, and was in deep mourning. It brings his family great comfort knowing that they are now reunited. Once a Marine, always a Marine; he died a hero, as he saved his family from a catastrophic house fire by awakening everyone and getting them out before saving himself.
Gordy is survived by his daughters, Rebecca (Craig) Adams and Tyla Adams, both of Nett Lake; sons, Gordy (Nikki) Adams III of Nett Lake and Mike Adams of Virginia; siblings, Vern (Cindy) Adams of Virginia, Randy Adams of Hoyt Lakes, Les (Roberta) Adams of Duluth and Sherrie Laitenen of Tower; grandchildren, Owen, Liam, Della, Everly, Ivy and Avis; and numerous nephews, nieces, friends and other relatives.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Gordon Sr. and Martha Adams; brothers, Norm, Bill, Lester, Lorne and Bob; and sisters, Carlene and Mary.

Daniel Schmiechen
Daniel Schmiechen, 90, of St. Louis Park, died peacefully at home on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Memorial services will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 18 at Edina Morningside Community Church, and at Madison Christian Community later this summer. Donations to the Friends of the Boundary Waters would be greatly appreciated.
Dan was born in Augusta, Mo., in 1933, to Samuel and Marie Schmiechen and grew up in St. Louis, Chicago and St. Paul. Dan obtained a degree in History at Elmhurst College and a Bachelor of Divinity at Eden Seminary. He served congregations in Ellsworth, Tomah and Madison, Wis., and Davenport, Iowa, from 1957 to 1997. He loved the family cabin near Ely and spent many years leading canoe trips into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Dan will always be remembered for his service to people and the community. 
Dan is survived by his wife, Barbara; children, Paul, Sue, Andrea Earnest (Roy) and Dave (Anne); grandchildren, Kate, Aidan, Brady, Megan and Nolan; brother, Peter (Jan); and sister, Abbie Bahneman (David).

Clarice D. Lynn
Clarice Diane LeMoine Lynn, 89, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, in St. Lucie County, Fla.
Clarice was born in Duluth on April 3, 1934, the daughter of Vienna Maki LeMoine and Sylvion Rosario LeMoine. She was a student at Duluth Public Schools and attended high school at Stanbrook Hall through eleventh grade. She then moved to Ohio where she graduated from Hubbard High School in 1952 and went on to get her BA in Education. Clarice married Francis Wayne Lynn on Aug. 20, 1955, in Ohio. The couple moved to Florida in 1969 where they lived most of those years in Coral Springs. Clarice retired from Broward County Schools after 42 years of teaching. For most of her retirement she lived in both Cook, Minn., and Coral Springs, Fla. Her final year was spent in Port St. Lucie.
Clarice is survived by her children, Mark Stephen Lynn, Mary Cynthia (William) Sayers, Kim Marie Mosley and Jennifer Ann (Paul) Grilo; daughter-in-law, Susan Lynn; 14 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; four sisters; two brothers; many nieces and nephews; extended family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Sylvion LeMoine in 1985 and Vienna LeMoine in 1992; husband, Francis Wayne Lynn in 2013; and son, Gregory Francis Lynn in 2014.

Richard P. Johnson
Richard Paul “Ricky” “Dick” Johnson, 72, of Cook, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, after a tragic accident on Thursday, March 14. The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the compassionate team of medical professionals at St. Luke’s Hospital in Duluth who cared for him in his final days. A celebration of life will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 18 at the Cook Community Center, with a prayer service and moment of sharing at 1:30 p.m. Arrangements are with Mlaker Funeral Home of Cook.
He is survived by his wife and best friend of 26 years, Jennifer; mother, Mary Anne; seven children, Shawna Frank, Holly Spanjers, Lynnae Johnson, Paul Johnson, Stephanie Loberg, Tara Swedzinski and Brian Weins; four siblings; 14 grandchildren; and many other family members and friends. 

Gladys Kujala
Gladys Salo Kujala, 93, formerly of Parkville, originally of Angora-Alango, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Monday, March 18, 2024. The family would especially like to thank the staff at Northern Pines Care Center in Aurora for their kind and compassionate care. She always commented on how wonderful her care was. The family requests no flowers; memorials can be directed to the charity of your choice in her honor. There will be a celebration of life later this spring.
She is survived by her sons, Larry (Jane) Kujala and Clayton Kujala; grandchildren, Jake, Nick (Alicia), Kristen (Chad) and Meredith (Erin); and great-grandchildren, Emma, Claire, Paige, Mazie, Mack, Kendal, Addison and Keegan.