Obituaries

Kathleen Mary "Kathy" Patenaude (Hunt) (Brown) passed away peacefully on February 3, 2025, at Viewcrest Hospice in Duluth, Minnesota, at the age of 68.

Helen (Honey) Rizzi passed away on Saturday, February 1, 2025. She was born to parents Stojan and Dorothy (Glumac) Griak on February 1, 1931. She attended both Stowe and Morgan Park Schools. Helen worked for the U.S. Census Bureau for 25 years and enjoyed playing softball and volleyball as an amateur athlete for 4 decades.

Donald Kronemann, 2/7/1937 – 1/31/2025. Son, Father, Friend and Mentor to SO many. Visitation will be held Friday, February 28, 2025, from 3:00-7:00 p.m. at Nelson Funeral Care in Cloquet. The visitation will resume on Saturday, March 1, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. until the 11:00 a.m. Memorial Service at Zion Lutheran Church, 1000 Washington Ave., Cloquet, MN. Food will be served at both the visitation and memorial service. All are welcome.

Dennis J. Hackett, 78, of Duluth passed away peacefully on Wednesday January 29, 2025, at Keystone Bluffs-Assisted Living. He was born on October 6, 1946, in Duluth MN to Rosemary and Archie Hackett. He was a graduate of St. James Catholic School and Denfeld High School class of 1965. He is an Eagle Scout and received the St. George Award for scout leadership. He served in the U.S. Navy aboard the Presidential Flag Ship, USS Northampton CC1. His previous work included Duluth Avionics, U.S. Steel, Diamond Tool and Horseshoe Co, Walco Transport, Hegstrom Funeral Home. He was an active member of St. James Catholic Church and served on its Pastoral Council and chairperson of the Connections building fund. He had previously helped as a volunteer at St. James Church as the editor of the weekly bulletin.

Dec. 10, 1944 - Feb. 01, 2025

June Avis (Hansen) Alsop, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother, passed away Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, after 101 incredible years of life.

Dec. 10, 1944 - Feb. 01, 2025

Age 85 of North St. Paul. Loving Dad, Grandpa, Brother & Uncle, passed away peacefully with his family present on January 27, 2025.

Patricia Ann "Pat" Tyo, 89, of Cumberland died at home, January 31, 2025. She was born April 30, 1935 in Crosby, MN to Anton B. and Ethel M. (Yoder) Snydock. Funeral services will be held at Noon Thursday, February 6, 2025 at First Lutheran Church, Cumberland, WI. Visitation will be from 11 AM-Noon. Full obituary can be found at skinnerfh.com.

Oct. 12, 1947 - Jan. 30, 2025

Lloyd E. Gilliland passed away peacefully on January 24, 2025, at the age of 90 of complications from chronic heart disease. At the time of his death, he was a resident of the Benedictine Living Community in Duluth, Minnesota. Lloyd will truly be missed by those who knew and loved him. He was a gentleman from another era— polite, friendly, and with an endearing habit of greeting strangers just to wish them a good day. People jokingly called him the “nicest guy in the building,” which made him laugh.

Feb. 17, 1948 - Jan. 29, 2025

Nettie Jean Walters, 80, passed away suddenly Monday, January 27, 2025, at St. Luke’s Hospital. Jean was born May 21, 1944, to Charles and Verna Gerard. She was 9.5 minutes older than her twin Mary Joan. She married the love of her life, James Walters, on June 19,1970.

Sharon Louise Larson, 82, of Two Harbors, died Wednesday, January 29, 2025 surrounded by her family at Ecumen Lakeshore in Duluth.

Lloyd Eugene Wagner passed away January 19, 2025 at the age of 72 in Thakhek, Laos after a series of strokes last year.

It is with heavy hearts that we must announce the passing of an unconditionally loving husband and dad, Donald Arthur Thompson, 87, of Duluth. Don died peacefully on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at Aspirus St. Luke’s Hospital, with his wife and daughters by his side, after being diagnosed with myelofibrosis in October 2020, which progressed to AML this past fall. He was born in Duluth on June 10, 1937, to Hans & Mildred Thompson. He was a 1956 graduate of Denfeld High School and attended Duluth Vo-Tech where he earned his electrician’s license. Don married Diane Gunderson in Duluth on July 30, 1960, and worked a full career of 36 years as an electrician in Duluth for Commercial Electric, retiring at 59 in 1996. Don was a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church and the local IBEW Union #242. He was a jack-of-all-trades and master of “everything.” Really, he was. No job was too big or too difficult for Donny to tackle. He was often sought out by friends and colleagues for his knowledge, expertise, and skills when they needed help fixing or building things or even making a special tool to get the job done. Many who worked with him respected his knowledge and skills and considered him one of the “greatest mechanical minds in Duluth that just aren’t made anymore.” But even with all his renowned expertise in almost everything, he remained ever humble, commenting often “but I guess, what do I know?” Don was a devoted provider, husband, and father to his family. He was so very proud of all his “girls,” often bragging to his friends about all the beautiful women he was surrounded by. His absence will be greatly felt by those who knew and loved him. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Arlene Rapp. Don is survived by his wife, Diane; four daughters, Cynthia Thompson of Duluth, Christine (Mark) Masterson of Duluth, Deborah (Daniel) Leonard of Duluth, and Dayna (Steven) Schweiger of Esko; eight grandchildren, Jarrod Leiss, Katie (Lukas) Hassett, Matthew Leonard, Jacob Leonard, Chase Hoffman, Abby Hoffman, Madison Hoffman, and John Hoffman; two great-grandchildren, Maximus Hassett and Kyler Hassett; brother-in-laws, Burleigh Rapp and Herman Royseth; sister-in-law, Gail Gunderson; and many nieces and nephews. Visitation will be at 10 a.m. until the 11 a.m. memorial service on Saturday, February 8, 2025, at Williams-Lobermeier-Boettcher Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, please consider memorials to Animal Allies. Visit www.wlbfuneralhome.com to leave words of condolence.