Obituaries: June 10, 2022

Virgil McCue
Virgil “Squeek” McCue, 85, of Cook, passed away peacefully at home on Monday, June 6, 2022. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 11 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cook. Visitation will be held at 3 p.m. with the service following at 4 p.m. Arrangements are with Mlaker Funeral Home of Cook.
Squeek was born in Bear River on April 17, 1937, to Charles and Aleda. He grew up in Bear River and attended Bear River and Alango schools. Squeek married Carol Aune on Dec. 23, 1955, and they were married for 66 wonderful years. Squeek worked as a logger with his brother Larry, owned his own logging equipment sales and repair shop, worked for the REA, on the Alaskan Pipeline, as a Cook Ambulance volunteer, and finished his working career at Abramson/KGM Construction working as a heavy equipment mechanic and welder for over 25 years.
He enjoyed hunting, fishing, snowmobiling (he was a founding member of the Cook Snowmobile Club), RVing and traveling, making new friends from across the country and Canada. Squeek was a lover of music; he played the harmonica, and always encouraged others to play any instrument. The thing he enjoyed most was visiting with his family and friends, who benefited from his wisdom and guidance. His motto was, “Life has no reverse, only forward gears.”
Squeek could fix anything for anyone, except the loss he felt losing his daughter to cancer in 2008. Squeek began his sobriety recovery journey on July 1, 1978. He was very dedicated and involved in that recovery with AA, having 43 years sober, something he and his family were very proud of.  Squeek will be remembered as a caring, hardworking, happy, proud man.
Squeek is survived by his wife, Carol; sons, Mike (Shona) and Bob (Fran); son-in-law, Dale; 11 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; brother, Larry; sister, Barb Seopa; sister-in-law, Karen; and many nieces, nephews and loved ones. 
He was preceded in death by his parents; beloved daughter, Tammy; brothers, Tom and Don; and sisters, Florence, Betty and Charlotte. 

Darleen F. Johnson
Darleen Faye Johnson, 89, of Orr, passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 22, 2022. A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 18 at Calvary Lutheran Church in Orr. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Arrangements are with Mlaker Funeral Home of Cook.
Darleen was born on June 13, 1932, in Excelsior, to Edward and Margaret (Young) Thomas. She grew up and graduated from high school in Excelsior. Darleen was united in marriage to John “Jack” L. Johnson on May 2, 1952; they had four children. Darleen loved everything about being a homemaker and hosting family holidays. When life required her to work outside the home, she rose to the occasion. A hard worker, she did many jobs well. However, she ended her career doing what she was passionate about, running the restaurant at Sunset Resort on Ash River.
Always one to be busy, Darleen enjoyed many hobbies - embroidery, quilting, baking Christmas cookies, and playing a mean game of cards were her favorites. Darleen was a member of Calvary Lutheran Church. She was deeply religious and devoted to her family.
Darleen is survived by her son, Thomas (Brenda) Johnson; daughters, Lori (Joel) Astleford, Wendy (Rick) Deatherage and Marsha Renee (Bobby) Bechtold; grandchildren, Heather, Christianne (Chris), Robert (Alicia), Jennica, Kaitlyn, Tauren (Chris), Molly Margaret, Meghan (Corey) and TJ. Darleen had the joy of welcoming 15 great-grandchildren; she was fortunate to have close relationships with many nephews and nieces.
 She was preceded in death by her former husband, Jack; brother, Dale Thomas; and sister; Phyllis Wright.

Mona J. Jarnstrom
 Mona Joyce Strom Bullert Jarnstrom, 93, of Lake Vermilion-Tower and Bonita Springs, Fla., passed away on Monday, Dec. 13, 2021, at Edgewood due to leukemia. She will be remembered for her witty one-liners and easygoing personality. A celebration of life will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 18 at St. James Presbyterian Church in Tower, with a luncheon to follow. Memorials are preferred to St. James Presbyterian Church, PO Box 413, Tower, MN 55790. 
Mona was born on Sept. 21, 1928, in Eveleth, to John Arthur “Art” and Eva Strom. She was best known for working in her father’s store on the main street of Eveleth, Strom’s Variety, and later the Ben Franklin Store. After graduating from Eveleth High School in 1946, she attended Eveleth Junior College and Duluth Business School.  
Mona married Royal Jarnstrom in 1948 and together they had four daughters. After Royal passed away in 1976, and left with six-year-old Kristie to raise, Mona attended Mesabi Community College and graduated from the University of Minnesota-Duluth in 1980 with a degree in Business Education. Mona taught at Minnetonka High School and Minneapolis Technical College and retired from Minneapolis North High School in 1993. 
In 1993, Mona married Loyd Bullert and moved to Lake Vermilion, only three miles from the 1925 Jarnstrom family cabin where numerous kids learned to waterski, take sauna, and jump off the dock. After her worldly travels, sitting on the shore of Lake Vermilion at her cabin was Mona’s favorite place to be.
Mona is survived by her loving daughters, RaMona Walberg of Virginia, Renee Holloway of Lake Vermilion-Tower, Lynn Dee (Mark) Lehto of Lake Vermilion-Tower and Kristie (Marc) Baumgartner of Bloomington; grandchildren, Jeff (Jenny) Holloway of Shorewood, Matthew (Amanda) Holloway of Minnetonka and Jesse (Abby) Brula of Burnsville; and great-grandchildren, Rory and Drew Holloway, Will Holloway and Maddox Brula.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Royal Jarnstrom in 1976; sister, Norma (Laurie) Aho in 1977; beloved son-in-law, Don Holloway in 2011; and husband, Loyd Bullert in 2011.

Kari W. Steenerson
Kari Wallace Steenerson, 56, of Babbitt, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 2 at the Hide Away in Babbitt.
Kari was born to Wallace and Audrey Steenerson, in Ely, on Dec. 1, 1965.  He grew up in Babbitt and graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in Babbitt in the class of 1984; he received his AA degree from Vermilion Community College.
Throughout Kari’s life, he was a jack-of-all-trades. He worked as a lifeguard, managed Jubilee Lanes, worked for Gen II, K & A Hauling and Carefree Living, was a city of Babbitt employee and in Essentia Health maintenance. Most recently, he worked at Fortune Bay in security, as a valet, and in maintenance.
His interests included his family, his lifelong friends (including the Hide Away crew), his dogs Lacey and Gizzy, hunting, bowling, motorcycles, four-wheeler rides, rebuilding cars, the family reunions at Mille Lacs Lake, and perfecting his Norwegian Christmas baking. He was an avid live music supporter across the Range.
Kari was known by family and friends by many names - Pie, Kare-Bear, Unk, Unckie, Uncle Scary. Whatever he was called, he was always known for his smile, chuckle, soft-spoken nature, and for being there when someone needed him - be it at the end of a snowed-in street, or late shift to ensure you were safely to your car, working so families could celebrate the holidays together, as a designated driver, a listening ear, or being a voice for the humane treatment of animals. His giving spirit continued to help others through the gift of organ donations. 
Kari is survived by his mom, Audrey Steenerson of Babbitt; sisters, Kim Anderson of Ely and Kay Chisel of Appleton, Wis.; nephews, Aaron Anderson of Ely and Cory Chisel of Appleton Wis.; niece, Tara (Jason) Pohlkotte of Lebanon, Pa.; great-nephews, Noah Anderson, Owen Pohlkotte and Rhodes Chisel; great-niece, Ava Pohlkotte; and numerous uncles, aunts, cousins and extended family.
He was preceded in death by his dad, Wallace Steenerson; uncle, Arne Steenerson; and brother-in-law, Roger Anderson.

Dolly Babnick
Per Dolly’s request, there will be no funeral service. Celebrations of life were held on Saturday, June 4 in Duluth and on Sunday, June 5 in Iron.
She is survived by her daughters, Tammy Weiss (John Koskiniemi) of Iron, Brenda Edmundson (Les Hujanen) of Tower and Lisa Lannroos (Rick Gorsuch) of Eveleth; brother, Fred Weiss of Cook; and grandchildren, Dylan, Matthew and Joshua Hummel, Tyler and Tanner Edmundson.