All Obituaries

Lesli Ann Furo (Struthers), Mimashkawigaabawik ­ Strong Standing Woman, passed away June 14, 2019. She was born April 30, 1953 to Joseph and Betty Beaulieu. She was adopted as a newborn and raised by Thomas and Elenor Struthers. Lesli’s life was full. She shared her love by caring for others. All creatures great and small had a place in her heart, and she gave of herself generously. She devoted much of her life to the animals she loved. She worked as a vet tech at Lake County...

Christine Opack, passed away on Monday June 24, 2019 at the Solvay Hospice House at the age of 97.  Affectionately known as Teena she was the youngest of four girls born to John and Antoinette Milich.  The family was very proud of their Croatian heritage, and Teena learned to cook all the Croatian foods and she was happy to share those meals with everyone.  Teena graduated from Morgan Park High School.  She married Matt Opack on January 10, 1941 and moved to Raleigh...

Michael Joseph McNamara “Spike” 72 of Duluth, died Sunday, June 23, 2019 at St. Mary’s with his family by his side. Mike was born March 30, 1948 in Duluth to Jack and Eleanor McNamara. In his youth, Mike belonged to the Cathedral of Our Lady and graduated from Cathedral High School. Mike served in the Marine Corps, in Vietnam, receiving the Purple Heart. Mike retired from Minnesota Power as a mechanic, retiring after 25 years of service. He also bartended at the Chalet, the...

  Jacob John Vesel, age 77, of Duluth, died Saturday, June 22, 2019 at the Solvay Hospice House.  He was born February 2, 1942 in Soudan, Minn. to Jacob John and Angela Rose (Palcher) Vesel.  Jake was a graduate of Ely Junior college.  He married Mabel Mary Weisinger in Ely on June 16, 1962.  He was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Gnesen, the Knights of Columbus and the Elks.  Jake started Vesel Construction, Inc. in 1978 and made it into a very...

  Hommey L. Kanter (96) died Wednesday, June 19, 2019 in Duluth.    Born Dec. 19, 1922, in Sioux City, Iowa, to Bessie and John Abraham, she graduated from high school in Mapleton, Iowa, received an AA degree from George Washington University, a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a masters in educational psychology from the University of Minnesota.  She began work in the University of Minnesota-Duluth Counseling Office in 1965.  A licensed psychologist, she...

Robert J. Spehar of Duluth, MN @ age 88 passed away peacefully with his family by his side Sunday June 10, 2019. Robert was born in Virginia, MN on July 24, 1930 to Hubert & Elrose. The Spehar family moved to Duluth when their two sons Hugh  & Bob were young.  Robert attended Cathedral High School and after the University of MN, Duluth campus. He loved to play basketball in high school & college (he was 6’2”).  Bob graduated with a BA in Accounting and...

  Alice Irene (Scott) Jappe, age 99, of Duluth, died peacefully Wednesday, June 12, 2019 at the Franciscan Health Center. Born to Fredrick and Alice (Shean) Scott, Alice was a lifelong Duluth resident growing up in West Duluth and attending St. James parish and school and graduating from Denfeld High School in 1937.  Her unique birthday of July 4, 1919 led to many exciting celebrations including meeting Pres. Calvin Coolidge.  Alice had written a letter citing their shared...

Isaac Arnaldo Napadensky (Cahanovich), age 92, was born in General Belgrano, Argentina on January 25, 1927 and died in Grand Marais, Minnesota on April 16, 2019.  Many who knew Arnaldo, Arnold or Arnie have heard stories about his childhood in South America. Arnaldo never actually lived in Argentina; he was born while his parents were visiting relatives near Buenos Aires. His family lived in Brazil and Venezuela but left in the mid-1930s to bring Arnaldo’s grandparents from...

Sister Marguerite (Florence) Baxter, OSB, 94, died June 4, 2019 at St. Scholastica Monastery. Born in Iron Mountain, Michigan on February 22, 1925, she was the daughter of Charles and Margaret (Scully) Baxter. Sister was in her 72nd year of Monastic Profession. The youngest of seven children, Florence moved to Houghton, Michigan with her family when she was just two years old. After graduating from Houghton High School, Florence followed her older sisters to The College of St. Scholastica....

  Joseph  “Joe”  “ Sascha”  Rosenzweig, age 92 Born June 8, 1927 in Lodz, Poland to Max and Genia Rosenzweig Died June 8, 2019 in Duluth. MN   Sascha was separated from his family at an early age when Germany invaded Poland during WW II. He spent the war years doing whatever was needed to stay alive.  As a holocaust survivor he has had many stories to tell. Married in December 1949 to Olga “Susie” Kromer, they applied...