Obituaries: June 3, 2022

Donald R. Price
Donald “Don” Raymond Price, 87, died peacefully at his home on Lake Vermilion on Monday, May 23, 2022. A celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, June 10 at Mlaker Funeral Home in Cook. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service.
 Don was born in Everett, Pa., to Melvin Celon Price and Ethel Mae Calhoun. Don lived in 15 different states because of his father’s occupation. The state of Washington was one of his favorites, where his father helped build the Grand Coulee Dam. While attending high school there, he was asked to play a trumpet-solo intro to “Hail to the Chief” for Harry Truman, who was dedicating the completed dam. He continued playing his trumpet throughout his life as a member of many bands and drum and bugle corps. In later years, he enjoyed attending concerts with his wife and friends. He graduated from Teddy Roosevelt High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 1953 and attended Junior College in Virginia, Minn., graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree. He then completed an electrical apprenticeship program to become a licensed electrician.     
Don met Marcia Vos and they were married in 1956; they made their home in Cedar Rapids for eleven years while raising three children. The family made wonderful friends there but decided to embark on a new adventure, returning to Minnesota to buy and operate Vos Resort from Marcia’s parents Marvin and Jeanette Vos in 1969. Don started a marine business on the lake and after twenty years sold the resort but moved Up North Marine Sales and Service to Cook. These years of public service and traveling gave them the opportunity to meet and make lifetime friends with people across the country. Don and Marcia retired on Lake Vermilion at Paradise Point and wintered at Goodland, Fla., for years, until acquiring an RV to once again travel the country, often to places Don once lived. 
Being retired also gave Don more time for his hobbies and his “toys” which included airplanes, cars, and countless other things that moved. His passion for flying started at a young age by building model airplanes and he constantly had an airplane, large or small, being rebuilt or constructed from a kit in his shops. He began flight instruction in his teens to become a pilot, and continued flying a floatplane all his life. Don helped form an EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) Group while living in Cedar Rapids, and tried to attend the Wisconsin Oshkosh Fly-in and Convention every year. He also enjoyed modifying cars and took pride in keeping all vehicles - new and classic - in top shape. Don spent hours kicking tires at classic car events such as Back to the Fifties in St. Paul, where he recently showed his latest classic car, a 1957 Chevy.
Don forever stayed busy doing projects for himself, family and friends. He belonged to organizations such as car clubs, helped organize the Cook St. Louis County Rescue Squad, and was a member and officer for lake and resort associations. He was committed to the churches where he lived and a member of Cook Trinity Lutheran Church. He reminisced about how he braved climbing the church tower when first installing the bell. Although not always active, he was also proud to be a lifetime Masonic member.
Don loved life and loved sharing time on Lake Vermilion with friends and family, joining with other pilot and car guys, meeting the gang on Wednesday for lunch at South Switch or The Landing, sharing his pecan beverage, tackling a sausage pizza at the VC or finding a place that made chocolate malts as good as he made for guests at the resort. (Wendy’s and Gordy’s were close contenders.) One of his first jobs was being a soda jerk and he started young finding assorted jobs to help finance his love for “toys” and to buy gas for “cruising”.       
His continual devotion, assistance, and fix-it advice will be missed by all. 
Don will be deeply missed by his wife of 65 years, Marcia; son, Dave (Deb) Price; daughters, Diane (Mark) Pascuzzi and Deb (Dave) Stehlik; six grandchildren, Kevin (Jess) Best, Tony (Amanda) Pascuzzi, Gina (Justin) Nukala, Kelsey (Cam) Roemhildt, Taylor Stehlik (Michael O’Meara) and Connor Stehlik; and ten great-grandchildren, Izzy, Vinny, Josey and Charlie Pascuzzi, Kaleb and Ava Best, Logan and Addison Roemhildt, Natalie O’Meara and Avery Nukala.      
  
Elsie E. Maturi
Elsie Edith Maturi, 87, of Virginia, passed away on Sunday, May 22, 2022. A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 11 at Calvary Lutheran Church in Orr. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. The family would prefer live plants to flowers. Memorials in honor of Elsie may be made to the Chisholm Library, Orr Ambulance Service, or Calvary Lutheran Church. Arrangements are with Mlaker Funeral Home of Cook.
Elsie was born to Adam and Hilja (Siltala) Takkinen on Dec. 19, 1934, in Chisholm. She attended school in Chisholm, graduating from Chisholm High School in 1952. Elsie was united in marriage to Melvin Maturi on Sept. 27, 1952, in Van Buren, Ark. Sadly, Melvin passed away in October 2000. Elsie said that if she hadn’t married Melvin, she would have wanted him for her best friend, and that he was an honorable and good person. Her companion later in life was Conrad Belfiori, who had graduated from high school with Elsie. They reconnected at their class reunion five years ago, and had a special love for each other. 
Elsie loved to walk her dog Bella three or four miles every day, stopping to talk to everyone wherever she went. She also enjoyed her flower gardens in the summer.  Finnish was her first language, and she was fluent in its use, writing letters to her cousins in Finland. She enjoyed traveling, with trips to Finland, Sweden, California, Texas and Maine. One of her favorite fulfillments later in life was helping at the Orr School with Terry Kaiser. She made people laugh, and saw the good in everyone. Her family meant everything to her.
Her family and friends were lucky she was in their lives, and are better people for having known her.
Elsie is survived by her son, Melvin (Carolyn) Maturi, granddaughter, Krystina (Chad) Nickola and great-grandchildren, Kai and Camden; daughter, Cathy (Dean) Rosier, granddaughter Kelly (Easu) Ford and great-grandchild, Mya; granddaughter, Laura Rosier and great-grandchildren, Nolan and Jordan; grandson, Eric (Diana) Rosier and great-grandchildren, Jack and Brendon; wonderful companion, Conrad Belfiori; special friends, Chuck and Netta Thompson, Wendy and Randy Long, Mary Jo Volker, BB Paulson, Tami Beckwith, Kathleen Laakkonen and Sally; and other family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and husband, Melvin.

Geraldine Koski
Geraldine Syrjanen Hendrickson Koski, 92, of Ely, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, at Ely Bloomenson Hospital in Ely. A memorial service will be held on Friday, June 3, with visitation starting at 10 a.m. until the 11 a.m. service at the Ely Gospel Church. Funeral arrangements are with Landmark Funeral Home of Virginia.
She is survived by three children, Marty Hendrickson of Aurora, Tami (Craig) Lassi of Babbitt and Jean (Kevin) Nelson of Babbitt; eight grandchildren, Amy, Allison, Joe, Isaac, Nickolas, Katie, Curtis and Jordan (Teila); seven great-grandchildren; and brother, Raymond Syrjanen.

William Palo
William “Bill” Palo, 83, of Ely, passed away on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 11 at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church. Visitation will be for one hour prior. Memorials are preferred to the Ely Baseball Association. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Genevieve “Gen” Pirtz Palo; sons, Brian (Jennifer) Palo and Bill (Melanie) Palo; daughter, Suzanne (Mike) Becker; grandchildren, Matt, Katie, Michael and Luke Palo, Ben, Will and Lauren Becker, and Ava and Wyatt Palo; sisters, Irene Wilson, Helen Huovinen, Melia (Tony) Shikonya and Ann Sandys; many nieces and nephews; and good friend and fishing partner, Bill Horvat.

Rose L. Newman
Rose Lee Peshel Newman, 94, of Ely, passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 16, 2022, at Solvay Hospice House in Duluth. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 18 at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Ely. Visitation will be for one hour prior. Burial will follow at the Ely Cemetery. Memorials are preferred to an Ely area charity or organization such as Veterans on the Lake Resort or Northwoods Partners. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.
She is survived by her sons, Paul (Kris) Newman, John (Pamela) Newman and Mark (Tammy) Newman; and grandchildren, Rachael, Katherine, Nicholas, Caitlin and Brandon.

Rev. Morris E. Janssen
Rev. Morris E. Janssen, 86, of Ely, passed away at the Ely Assisted Living facility on Friday, May 10, 2022. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 5 at Kerntz Funeral Home in Ely. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, June 6 at the Ely Gospel Tabernacle. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.
He is survived by his children, Dawn (Chuck) Lukas of Merritt Island, Fla., and David (Jenny) Janssen of New Ulm; grandchildren, Jillian (Darren) Lilja, Amrita (Casey) Peterson and Carter Manning, all of Ely, Bethany Janssen and Nathaniel Janssen, both of New Ulm; great-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren, Beau Peterson, Sophia and Kameron Manning, Mackenzie and Mitchell Peterson, all of Ely; and numerous other relatives and friends.

Darleen F. Johnson
Darleen Faye Thomas 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.
She 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; 15 great-grandchildren; and many nephews and nieces.