All Obituaries

Dr. Rita Marie Makela (St. George), passed away suddenly on September 18, 2020 in her home.  Rita was born July 1, 1963 to Roberta (Barber) and Gerald Jackson in Duluth, MN. She has two brothers, Jerry (Puff) Jackson of Missouri and Kevin Jackson of Chisolm MN. Rita was a devoted mother to 5 children: son, Ben Preston of Duluth, son, Jonathan and Sarah (Momen) Preston of Solon, OH, daughter, Heidi (Preston) and Shane Collins of Coshocton OH, son, Brandon St. George, and daughter,...

Mary Jane Maguire, 91, of Duluth, passed away on September 12, 2020 at Diamond Willow Assisted Living in Cloquet. Mary was born in Mason, WI on Aug. 27, 1929 to Alexander and Margaret Panasuk. Mary worked as an LPN for St. Mary’s and the Benedictine Nursing Home until she retired in 1994. She was member of St. Anthony’s then St. Mary’s Star of the Sea. She and her husband, Richard enjoyed Sunday drives up the scenic North Shore of Lake Superior, always stopping for ice...

John Frederick Witte, 56, of Duluth, MN passed away on September 8, 2020 at home, surrounded by his loved ones. John was born in Duluth, MN to Marge and George Witte in 1964. He went to Proctor High School and graduated in 1982. He continued on to earn a bachelor's degree in Criminology at the University of Minnesota Duluth. He began his work at the Federal Prison Camp in Duluth as an intern during his senior year of college and after graduating was hired on full time. He started his...

Joy S. Ronning, 87, formerly of Duluth, MN, passed away September 8, 2020 in Proctor, MN. Joy was born in Duluth to Raymond and Marietta Sieger on May 31, 1933. She graduated from Duluth Central High School in 1951. Joy enjoyed spending time with family and friends, was a Sunday School and Vacation Bible School Teacher, Election Judge, and PTA Member and Historian. Joy was preceded in death by her parents; and loving husband, Robert C. Ronning. Joy is survived by her children, Lorry...

Craig Bradford Johnson died September 3, 2020 at the Solvay Hospice from brain cancer. He was born in St. Luke’s hospital on April 19, 1955, the last of 3 children of George R. Johnson Sr. and Shirley Hill Johnson. He grew up in the Pike Lake area and graduated from Proctor High School in 1973. As a child he was a budding mechanic so after graduation he studied Heavy Equipment Repair at VO-TECH, now LSC. He worked delivering newspapers, Gordy’s Hi-Hat, Target, Ziegler, and St....

Ann Marie Guss, 86, of Duluth passed away on August 31, 2020 in Essentia Health St. Mary’s Medical Center. She was born in Willow River on October 30, 1933 to Ransom and Anna Bennett. As a teenager she worked for Bridgeman Russell Creamery in Duluth. She then was a homemaker for many years, raising two boys. She then worked at Duluth Avionics. She enjoyed volunteering at the West Duluth Moose. Ann was preceded in death by parents; siblings; husband, Jim; and granddaughter,...

Our Faye was born June 2, 1929 in Duluth & passed with family by her side August 31, 2020 in Hermantown. Though only a virtual celebration of Faye’s 91st birthday this year, her 90th was a Luau that had her laughing while dancing in a grass skirt! Faye was a graduate of the Central High School class of 1947 and still loved reminiscing about her days working at the Roller Rink where she was swept off her feet by one of the gutsiest guys on skates, Vernon Berntsen who she married...

Jodie Melissa Carlsen, 46, of Duluth, Minnesota passed away on August 31, 2020. Jodie was born in Duluth to Katherine and Leonard Carlsen on March 14, 1974. Jodie was a loving mother, grandmother, granddaughter, sister, and niece. She adored her children and took great pride in all they accomplished. Even in the toughest times, her sense of humor (and mischief) never faltered. She loved a good joke and her joyful laugh was contagious. Jodie is preceded in death by her parents, Katherine...

Stephen Michael Olson, 58, of Superior Wisconsin, completed his journey Home on August 25, 2020. Stephen was born in Duluth, MN on October 4, 1961, to Donald and Mary (Hoffman). He had one beautiful younger sister, Darla, who ensured Stephen lived every one of his last moments quite literally to the fullest (homemade fudge being his most frequent request). Stephen was honored with the title of Dad with the births of his two children, Autumn and Eric, during his first marriage. In 2000, he...

Thomas Joseph Sharkey, 71, of Cloquet, MN, passed away on August 25, 2020 after battling Multiple Sclerosis for over 25 years. Thomas was born in Bridgeport, CT on December 5, 1948 to Joseph and Helen Sharkey. He went to Cathedral High School in Springfield, MA graduating in 1966. He attended Boston College, State of New York Downstate Medical School in Brooklyn, NY and completed his Internal Medicine residency at Montefiore Hospital and Medical Center and his Fellowship in Cardiology at...