Obituaries: August 9, 2024

James A. Hill Jr.
James Allan Hill Jr., 67, of Soudan, died on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, after a long battle with cancer. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 9 at St. Martin’s Catholic Church in Tower. Reverend Father Beau Braun will officiate. A gathering time for family and friends will begin one hour prior to the service at the church. Inurnment in the Lakeview Cemetery will take place at a later date. Memorials are preferred and may be directed to Essentia East Range Hospice. Jim’s family would like to give a heartfelt thanks to them for their excellent care and compassion. Family services are provided by Bauman-Vermilion, a Bauman Family Funeral Home in Tower.
Jim was born on Sept. 9, 1956, in Soudan, the son of James Allan Sr. and Donna Kay Branwall Hill, and was a graduate of Tower-Soudan High School. He graduated from the University of Minnesota-Duluth and received his law enforcement skills training at Hibbing Community College. Jim married Pamela Roy on Sept. 4, 1982, in Tower and had been a lifelong resident of Tower-Soudan.
Jim was employed as the Chief of Police for Breitung Township for 32-plus years. On days off, he worked with Paul Wellander Construction. After retiring from law enforcement, he worked as an insurance inspector for Palo Mutual Insurance of Aurora, and the Tower Soudan Insurance Agency in Tower. Jim was a member of the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association, served on the Breitung Township Water Commission Board, the Tower Housing Authority, and served on the Soudan Fire Department from 1981 until 2012. He enjoyed the outdoors, including snowmobiling, four-wheeling, time at the cabin on Lake Vermilion, traveling, and of course his saunas.
Jim is survived by his wife of 42 years, Pam; brother, Danny (Corrine) Hill of Soudan; brothers-in-law, Paul (Toody) Roy of Soudan and Mark (Susan) Roy of Griffin, Ga.; nieces and nephew, Patricia Roy, Ashley (Scott) Clausen, Bradley (Clara) Roy, Samantha (Andrew Leung) Roy and Jodi (Nick) Levens; great-nephew, Easton Clausen; and extended family and friends.

Miriam H. Gornick
Miriam Hazel Sipola Gornick, 94, of Soudan, died on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, at the Cook Hospital. A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Wednesday, Aug. 7 at St. Martin’s Catholic Church in Tower with Father Beau Braun as celebrant. Interment followed in Lakeview Cemetery. Family services were provided by Bauman-Vermilion, a Bauman Family Funeral Home in Tower.
She is survived by her children, Martin A. Gornick of Bradenton, Fla., Bernadette Hendrickson of Duluth, Carmen (Robert J.) Dale of Soudan and Domonique Schumacker of Mt. Iron; siblings, James Sipola, Margaret Skube and Doris Sipola; grandchildren, Denise (Kai) Bunge, Carrie Grose, Kimirenee (Usher) Belgacem, Nichole (Bryan) Chiabotti, Aaron Gornick, Jillian (Mike) Anderson, Gerald (Gracia) Hendrickson, Troy Hendrickson, Tara Schumacker and Brianna Schumacker; 15 great-grandchildren; six great-great-grandchildren; and numerous extended relatives and friends.

Dorothy H. Hall
Dorothy Helen Laverne Lakso Hall, 95, of Eveleth, originally of Embarrass, died on Sunday, July 28, 2024. A memorial service was held on Thursday, Aug. 1 at United in Christ Lutheran Church in Eveleth. Burial will be at a later date in the Eveleth Cemetery. Arrangements are entrusted to Cron-Sheehy Funeral Home of Eveleth.
She is survived by her daughter, Donna (Chuck) Dennis; son, Tom Hall (Frieda Ahrens); many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; son-in-law, Denver Young; daughter-in-law, Cathy Tyge; niece, Violet Moravitz of Ely; and other extended family members.

Thomas A. Kitto
Thomas Arthur “Tom” Kitto, 90, of Tower, Bloomington and Savage, Minn., Lady Lake, Fla., and Apex, N.C., passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 21, 2024. In lieu of a memorial, please donate to support a teacher’s classroom, either locally or through a website such as donorschoose.org. Or, for his love of woodworking, please plant a hardwood tree or trees in his honor.
Tom grew up in Tower. He and his brothers, William Jr. “Bill” and Richard “Dick”, loved small town life, helped run the family Kitto Hardware store, and every chance they got they were in a boat on Lake Vermilion. He worked underground at the Tower-Soudan Underground Mine as a young man, dangerous work that helped him earn enough to put himself through college.
He had an equally strong drive for academics, hard work, and craftsmanship. Tom worked as a draftsman, a shop teacher, and a special education teacher and administrator. Tom and his family were very proud of the fact he was awarded the Minnesota Special Educator of the Year award in 1980. He was a lifelong educator, including in recent years having taught “the old guys” how to safely use shop equipment in their retirement community in Florida. His proudest and favorite educational accomplishment was running the Bryant YES Center in Minneapolis in the 1970s, providing opportunities for at-risk youth to experience success and to earn their high school diploma.
Tom’s passions included academics, woodworking, especially with his grandchildren, walking in the woods, and spending time at his family’s cabin on Lake Vermilion. Due to his teaching schedule, family trips were limited to summertime, and his family enjoyed many amazing vacations each summer.
Tom is survived by his wife of almost 69 years, Edith; sons, Earl (Pam) Kitto, Bruce (Patricia) Kitto and Glen (Michelle) Kitto; daughter, Renee (Paul) Gallup; grandchildren, Zack Kitto, Alison Fontenot, Laura Kitto, John Kitto, William Kitto, Abby Kitto, Ben Gallup, Elise Gallup and Brianna Gallup; great-grandchildren, Asher, Silas, Margaret, Elodie, Jonah and Lydia; brother, Richard (Sandy) Kitto; and many other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Marion L. Prince Kitto and William J. Kitto; and brother, William “Bill” Kitto Jr.

Shirley M. Przybylski
Shirley Marie Jerich Przybylski, 88, of Babbitt, passed away on Sunday, July 28, 2024, at Virginia Essentia Health Hospital. A Mass of Christian Burial was held at 11 a.m. with visitation one hour prior on Saturday, Aug. 3 at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Babbitt. Burial followed at the Argo Cemetery. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.
She is survived by her sons, Michael (Julie) Przybylski and Mark Przybylski; daughter, Jody (Timothy) Wind; grandchildren, Ryan (Meghan) Przybylski, Jordan (Danielle) Przybylski, Kaitlyn (Caleb) Wind and Taylor (Hunter) Wind; great-grandchildren, Paisley, Bennett and Brooks; sister, Janet Olson; and many nieces and nephews.

Lisa M. Muggli
Lisa Marie Muggli, a woman whose heart brimmed with love for family, faith, and the great outdoors, passed away unexpectedly on July 15, 2024, at the age of 58. Lisa was born in Portland, Ore., on April 1, 1966.Her parents were Lois and Melvin Chapman.
She lived in the Orr area for the last 25 years.
Lisa’s life was a tapestry woven with vibrant threads. Her family was her masterpiece. She cherished her husband, Edward Jr., and their four children, Sherrie, Aurora, Edward Thomas III, and Vern. Laughter echoed in their home, a testament to the joy she brought to everyday moments.
Lisa wasn’t just a nurturer of human connections; she possessed a deep love for all living things. Her soul found solace by the water, casting a line and reeling in not just fish, but serenity. She captured the world’s beauty through the lens of her camera, forever etching memories in photographs. Her love for nature extended to the kitchen, where she whipped up delicious meals, a feast for both the body and soul.
Lisa’s faith was a cornerstone of her life. She was an active member of her church, her spirit finding solace in worship, and her hands ever willing to help others. For 15 years she served her community at the Angora and Cook post offices, and for seven years she was a steward of the environment with the DNR Forestry Office in Orr.
Lisa’s absence leaves a gaping hole in the hearts of those who knew her. She was, quite simply, a good person – a people person who volunteered her time and energy to countless causes. Her legacy will live on in the memories she leaves behind, a testament to a life well-lived and a love that will forever endure.