obituaries

Feb 24, 2021

WAKEFIELD, Mich. – Kathleen (Kubiak) Miljevich, 88, a longtime resident of Wakefield, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021. Kathleen was born on Sept. 12, 1932, in Phillips, Wisconsin, a daughter of John and Geraldine (Young) Kubiak. Kathleen and her family moved to Hurley, Wisconsin, where she attended the Hurley area schools and graduated in 1950. On April 14, 1950,...

Feb 19, 2021

WAKEFIELD, Mich. – Joseph M. Stelmark Jr., 78, of Wakefield, formerly a longtime resident of Bessemer, passed away Friday, Feb. 19, 2021.

Joseph was born on July 10, 1942, in Wakefield, son of the late Isabel V. (Olejniczak) and Joseph M. Stelmark Sr. He graduated from the old St. Sebastian Grade School and A.D. Johnston High School...

Feb 14, 2021

WATERSMEET, Mich. – Rudie Orlich, 92, of Watersmeet, entered eternal life on Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a service will be held at a later date.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Jerald Rocco, owner and manager of Lakeside Memorial Chapel Inc., Wakefield. Condolences may be expressed online at lakesidememorialchapel.com.

Feb 10, 2021

BESSEMER, Mich. - Helen R. ​(Reising​)​ Grebner, "Aunt Honey," 81, of Bessemer, formerly of Peoria, Illinois, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021.

Helen was born​ on Ju​ne 21, 1939, in Peoria, a daughter of Joanna A. (Kovachevich) and Edward J. Reising Sr.   On Nov. 16, 1963, ​she married Bernard J. Grebner at St. Mark Catholic Church in...

Feb 10, 2021

HURLEY, Wis. - On Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021, Roger "Ginty" Fontecchio, 78, of Hurley, passed away with his family by his side.

Roger was born to Herman "Nig" and Mary (Sterny) Fontecchio on Nov. 11, 1942. He attended St. Ambrose Catholic School in Ironwood, Michigan and graduated in 1960.

On Oct. 5, 1968, he was...

Feb 9, 2021

IRON BELT, Wis. - Shirlee Jane Lantta, 85, of W7870 Highway 77, Iron Belt, died Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021, in Duluth, Minnesota.

She was born Jan. 1, 1936, in Mellen, daughter of the late Victor and Hilda (Martilla) Warren.

Shirlee graduated from Mellen High School in 1954, and was married to Robert G. Lantta on...

Feb 9, 2021

WAKEFIELD, Mich. – Eunice Marie (Dalbeck) Backlund, 93, of Wakefield, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021.

Eunice was born on Nov. 13, 1927, the eldest child of Lloyd and Linnie Dalbeck, in a rustic logging camp cabin in Crystal Falls. Her younger siblings were Lorraine and Russell (both died of influenza in childhood), Duane (Christine) Dalbeck, Stratford,...

Feb 7, 2021

IRONWOOD, Mich. – Rudy John Perhalla, 87, of Ironwood, died Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021.

Rudy was born and raised in Ironwood, and graduated from Luther L. Wright High School. He served his country during the Korean War by joining the U.S. Navy. In 1958, he married his wife, Susan.

After an honorable discharge from the...

Jan 31, 2021

BERGLAND, Mich. - Leona A. DeVowe, 83, of Bergland, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021.

Leona was born on Nov. 29, 1937, in Trout Creek, daughter of the late William and Ina (Linna) Kananen. After graduating from Trout Creek High School in 1955, she moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin...

Jan 30, 2021

BESSEMER, Mich. - Paul J. Modjeski, 48 passed away unexpectedly Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021, at home in Bessemer. Paul was born in Milwaukee, in September of 1972. His parents are James and Sabina Modjewski. James was from Bessemer and Sabina (Dimitroff) Modjewski was from Wakefield. Jim and Sabina were married in Wakefield in 1967.

Paul went to...

Jan 29, 2021

WAKEFIELD, Mich. - Timothy Andrew Sindermann, 61, of Wakefield, passed away Friday, Jan. 29, 2021.

A celebration of his life will be held at a later date.

Jerald Rocco, owner and manager of Lakeside Memorial Chapel Inc., in Wakefield is assisting the family.

Jan 26, 2021

WAKEFIELD, Mich. - Karen Ann Varian, 68, of Wakefield, passed away Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021, at home, surrounded by her loving family.

Karen's obituary will appear in the Feb. 3, 2021, edition of the Wakefield News/Bessemer Pick & Axe.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Jerald Rocco, owner and manager of Lakeside Memorial Chapel Inc.,...

Jan 24, 2021

BESSEMER, Mich. - William F. Barbacovi, 99, of Bessemer, passed away Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021.

Services will be held in the spring.

Jerald Rocco, owner and manager of Lakeside Memorial Chapel Inc., in Wakefield, is assisting the family.

Jan 15, 2021

RAMSAY, Mich. – Loralee Radowski, 70, a longtime resident of Ramsay, went home to be with the Lord on Friday, Jan. 15, 2021.

Loralee was born on Oct. 27, 1950, in Wakefield, the daughter of Kathleen (Kubiak) and Eli Miljevich Jr. She attended Wakefield High School and graduated in 1968. After high school, she went to the...

Jan 14, 2021

BESSEMER, Mich. – Carmen Louise Mussatti, 83, of Bessemer, was peacefully called to heaven on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021, at her home, surrounded by her family.

She was born on Oct. 17, 1937, to Verner and Fay (Peronto) Juntunen in Escanaba. Carmen attended the Bessemer Schools.

On Valentine's Day 1953, she married the love of...

Jan 14, 2021

WAKEFIELD, Mich. – Susan Beth Nurmi, 63, of Wakefield, passed away Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021.

Susie was born on May 29, 1957, in Waukegan, Illinois, a daughter of Rueben Johannes and Patricia Lois (Makela) Nurmi. She attended Wakefield High School and graduated in 1976.

Susie is survived by a daughter, Liisa (Ben) Cole; two grandchildren,...

Jan 12, 2021

SAXON, Wis. - Lorene Ann "Renee" Massoglia, 81, of Saxon, passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021.

Renee was born on Aug. 31, 1939, in Ashland, the youngest child of Donald B. and Frances G. (Organist) Meredith. She graduated from Saxon High School in 1957.

On Oct. 3, 1959, she married Robert...

Jan 3, 2021

WAKEFIELD, Mich. – Theodore "Teddy" A. Finco Sr., 81, a lifelong resident of Wakefield, passed away peacefully Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021, at Aspirus Wausau Hospital in Wausau, Wisconsin, with his family by his side.

Ted was born on Nov. 5, 1939, a son of John and Domicella (Zielinski) Finco. He graduated from Wakefield High School with the...

Dec 28, 2020

BESSEMER, Mich. - Betty Carpenedo, 93, of Bessemer, died Monday, Dec. 28, 2020. She was born and raised in Bessemer, a daughter of William (Virgilio) and Clelia (Pagliero) Certano.

She grew up in Tilden Location and often reminisced about the frequent walks to town in all kinds of weather to get to work or to participate in...

Dec 26, 2020

GILE, Wis. – David A. Huotari, 63, of Gile, passed away Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020.

A celebration of life cook-out will be held in the summer of 2021.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Jerald Rocco, owner and manager of Lakeside Memorial Chapel Inc., in Wakefield, Michigan.