Obituaries

Jan 6, 2020

Lester Beach, 97, of Duluth, died on Monday January 6, 2020 from complications from a fall.  He was born on June 10, 1922 in Shelby County, MO.  He married Marlyn Anderson on July 1, 1961 in Duluth.  Lester attended a one room school through 8th grade and graduated from Leonard High School in 1939.  He attended Business College in...

Jan 6, 2020

David Charles Gehlen, 42, of Duluth, passed away on Monday January 6, 2020 in Essentia Health, St. Mary’s Hospital.  He was born on June 7, 1977 in Greely, CO to Chuck and Gloria Gehlen.  David graduated from Duluth Central High School and from the College of St. Scholastica.  David was also part of the Saint Scholastica drum line!    He...

Jan 4, 2020

James A. “Jim” MacInnes, 93, of Duluth, passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 4, 2020 at St. Luke’s Hospital. He was born June 17, 1926 in Proctor, MN to parents James and Mildred (Murray) MacInnes. The second of five children, he maintained a close relationship with his siblings throughout his life. He attended Denfeld High School and later Brooks...

Jan 4, 2020

Lloyd Roger Olson, Sr., 80, of Duluth, died Saturday, January 4, 2020 at Viewcrest Health Center.  He was born in Duluth June 4, 1939 to Erling Henry and Ursala (Nadesky) Olson.  Lloyd was a 1957 graduate of Denfeld High School.  Following high- school he enlisted in the U.S. Army.  He married Rowena Morgan on September 30, 1961 in Alexandria,...

Jan 2, 2020

Sargent W. “Sarge” Larson, 90, of Duluth, died Thursday, January 2, 2020 in Heritage Haven Assisted Living Community. He was born on July 3, 1929 in Duluth to Lawrence and Edna (Sargent) Larson. Sarge was a graduate of Denfeld High School and attended College prior to enlisting in the Army, where he served during the Korean War. Sarge married...

Jan 1, 2020

Richard D Wilson, 85, died January 1, 2020, in Princeville-by-the-Sea care home in Westminster, California.  Richard was born in Duluth, Minnesota, to Ludwig Wilson and Ethel (Hedlund) Wilson on July 27, 1934.  He graduated from Denfeld High School in 1952 and the University of Minnesota-Duluth with a Degree in Chemistry and Math in 1957. Richard then taught Chemistry and...

Dec 27, 2019

Dawn B. Kolquist passed away peacefully on December 27, 2019 at St. Luke’s Hospital in Duluth, Minnesota.  Dawn was born on January 30, 1922 in Duluth, Minnesota to Roy and Eva Tourville. Dawn graduated from Duluth Central High School in 1940 and the Duluth School of Beauty the following year.  She styled hair for many friends and family members...

Dec 24, 2019

Judith “Judy” Ann Johnson, 74, of Duluth, died Tuesday, December 24, 2019 at St. Luke’s Hospital. Judy was born in Texas on March 29, 1945 to Roy and Doris Anderson. Judy married Ronald Johnson on August 28, 1972. Ron passed away on their anniversary in 2010. Judy loved going to Walmart, shopping and going out to eat. She loved...

Dec 21, 2019

Jane Ellen Sommerfeld (née Ulrich), 93, of Duluth, entered the Church Triumphant on Saturday, December 21, 2019. Jane was born August 26, 1926 to Sarah Louise (Cowper) and Robert Stanley Ulrich in Detroit, Michigan. Her father died when she was 8 months old, several months before the birth of her brother. The children were sent to the family farm...

Dec 20, 2019

Gerald “Jerry” Bill Postal, 84, of Duluth, died Friday, December 20, 2019 at his residence. Jerry was born in Duluth on January 25, 1935 to William and Florence (Panfil) Postal. Jerry was a graduate of Denfeld High School and served in the Army National Guard. He was a member of the former St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church and...

Dec 12, 2019

Suzanne Bane Zallar passed away on December 12 at Bayshore Residence and Rehabilitation Center after a long and courageous battle with Frontotemporal Dementia.

Suzanne was born on September 30, 1950 to Betty Jean and Payton Bane in Virginia, Minnesota. She attended Virginia High School and received her English Education degree from the University of Minnesota- Duluth.

Dec 8, 2019

Robert Allen Booth, 72 of Duluth, died Sunday, December 8, 2019 at St. Luke’s Hospital. Bob was born in Crosby, MN to Elde and Florence Booth.  He was a long time Duluth resident and graduated from Duluth Denfeld.  Bob married Colleen (Slowinski) Booth June 13, 1970.  They would have been married 50 years come June 2020.  Robert was in...

Dec 3, 2019

Nathalie Ann Whalen, 97, of Duluth, died Tuesday, December 3, 2019 at the North Shore Estates. Nathalie was born in Monico, WI on September 28, 1922 to Byron and Ann (Lagon) Meagher. She was a Duluth resident most of her life and was a graduate of Morgan Park High School. She married Emmet W. Whalen on June 12, 1944...

Dec 1, 2019

Bishop Paul D. Sirba:

Bishop Paul David Sirba, Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Duluth, MN, beloved shepherd of the people of the Diocese of Duluth, dear son, brother, uncle and great-uncle died of apparent cardiac arrest at his home in Proctor, MN on Sunday morning, December 1, 2019, the First Sunday of Advent.  Bishop Sirba...

Nov 29, 2019

Michele LeFaive Johnson, 68, of Duluth, passed away peacefully on Friday, November 29, 2019 at Essentia Health St. Mary’s Hospital. She was born on February 2, 1951, the second of seven children born to Raymond and Stephanie LeFaive, and was a lifelong Duluth resident. She was a 1969 graduate of Denfeld High School and was a 45 year employee...

Nov 29, 2019

Gordon D. Swenson, 93, died Nov. 29, at the Benedictine Living Community in Duluth. He was born in Fargo, ND, to Elizabeth and Albert Swenson. Shortly thereafter, the family moved to St. Paul, MN, where he spent his formative years. In 1944, Gordon graduated from Wilson High School and immediately enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he served until...

Nov 22, 2019

Rolland E. “Rollie” Royer, 95, of Duluth, died Friday, November 22, 2019 at St. Luke’s Hospital. He was born in Duluth on July 27, 1924 to Gaudias and Laura (Marteneau) Royer. Rollie married Marcella H. Hansen on August 13, 1948 in Duluth. He worked for the City of Duluth Water and Gas Department, retiring in 1982. He was a...

Nov 18, 2019

Richard N. "Dick" Koglin, 92, of Duluth, passed away Monday, November 18, 2019 at the Solvay Hospice House surrounded by family. Dick was born in Duluth on September 27, 1927 to Paul and Hope Koglin. He graduated from Denfeld High School in 1945 and served in the Navy during World War II. Following his service, he married Donna Bolton...

Nov 6, 2019

Debra Kay Anderson, 65, of Duluth, passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Wednesday November 6, 2019.  She was born in Duluth on September 25, 1954 to Roger and Betty Anderson.  Debra graduated from Duluth Central High School Class of 1973.  She had worked as a nanny and her last job was at Wendy’s on top...

Nov 4, 2019

Lorraine L. Giernett, 94, of Duluth, died Monday, November 4, 2019 in Essentia Health surrounded by family. She was born on May 12, 1925 in Duluth to Henry and Angeline LaMourea. Lorraine was a graduate of Central High School. She married Lee Giernett and together they had five children. Lorraine worked for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company as an...