Obituaries

Martha F. Hoven

Martha F. Hoven

May 1, 2026

Martha Hoven 89, Two Harbors, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her children, on Friday, May 1, 2026. She is now at her eternal home with her Lord Jesus.



Martha was born November 15, 1936 to Alfred and Elsie (Lonergan) Hugstad in Kasson, MN. She grew up in Vernon Township, where her father managed the Co-op Creamery, and later Northfield, where her...

Barbara Anderson

Barbara Anderson

Apr 26, 2026

Barbara E. Anderson, 81, of Two Harbors, died Sunday, April 26, 2026 at Agate Bay Assisted Living.

Barb was born January 19, 1945 to Carl and Lillian (Johanson) Lind in Two Harbors, and grew up in Castle Danger, where she lived for most of her life. On September 28, 1963 she married Daniel Anderson. She worked as a cook for several...

Keith Costley

Keith Costley

Apr 15, 2026

Keith W. Costley, 81, Two Harbors, died Wednesday, April 15, 2026 at Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center, after complications from a fall.

Keith was born July 5, 1944 to Francis Lane and Phyllis (Giddings) Costley in Two Harbors, where he grew up, attended schools, and was a lifelong resident. He married Linda Gelineau on October 25, 1969. Keith operated Big A...

Allan R. Brandt

Allan R. Brandt

Apr 11, 2026

Allan R. “Skipp” Brandt, 88, of Two Harbors, died Saturday, April 11, 2026 at Lake View Hospital.

Skipp was born September 2, 1937 to Frank and Eleanor (Mattson) Brandt in Duluth. After serving in the U. S. Navy he moved to Two Harbors and married Roberta Stephenson on November 7, 1959. He worked as a mechanic for “the rest of his...

Jessica Lee Kempffer

Jessica Lee Kempffer

Apr 2, 2026

Jessica Lee Kempffer, 46, of Two Harbors passed away unexpectedly from natural causes on Thursday, April 2, 2026 at Lake View Memorial Hospital.



Jessica was born August 31, 1979 in Two Harbors and was baptized at Holy Spirit Catholic Church.



Her sons were her life! She loved to fish and hunt-and always held bragging rights for the first to bag and tag...

Bruce Fjeran

Bruce Fjeran

Mar 29, 2026

Bruce Fjeran, 75, Two Harbors, died Sunday, March 29, 2026 with his family at his side at St. Luke’s Hospital.



Born April 10, 1950 to Alvin and Hazel (Maki) Fjeran, Bruce was a lifelong resident of Two Harbors. After graduating from high school, he was employed on the ore boats and for Reserve Mining before heading into the woods in 1986....

Keith Erickson

Keith Erickson

Mar 20, 2026

Keith (“Barcelona”) T. Erickson, 73, of Two Harbors—a world traveler, sailor, loyal friend, father, and uncle—sailed his last ship on Friday, March 20, 2026, surrounded by family.

Keith was born on June 22, 1952, to Marvin and Lois (Ryan) Erickson and grew up in Two Harbors. After high school, Keith joined the U.S. Merchant Marine and spent many years on the...

Larry J. Sandretsky Sr.

Larry J. Sandretsky Sr.

Mar 18, 2026

An Obituary for Larry James Sandretsky, Sr., in a Poem as He Would Want It

There are some who pass through quietly,

Like a whisper or a breeze,

But Larry wasn’t made for quiet,

He preferred a party, a joke, a tease.

With calloused hands and a guitar in tow,

He played the songs he loved so true,

His Woodtick song would steal the show,

And strangers were...

Leon E. Holbeck

Leon E. Holbeck

Mar 15, 2026

Leon E. Holbeck, age 83, passed away on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Minnesota Veteran’s Home in Silver Bay. Born on December 11, 1942, in Two Harbors, Minnesota, Leon was the son of Aaron and Eva (Anderson) Holbeck. He grew up in Two Harbors, where he attended school before serving his country in the U.S. Navy.

Following his honorable discharge,...

Gregory C Conway

Gregory C Conway

Mar 12, 2026

Gregory C. Conway, 69 of Silver Bay died Thursday, March 12, 2026 at his home.

He was born in Frankfurt, Germany to SGM William and Edna (Swartz) Conway during one of his father’s deployments. Greg grew up and attended William Kelley high school.Employed by Louisiana Pacific for 36 years unloading logs, heavy equipment operator, and yard maintenance until his retirement in...

Karen Bock

Karen Bock

Mar 10, 2026

Karen Bock, 82, Silver Bay, died Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at Care Free Living. 

Karen was born on May 26th 1943 in Moose Lake to Edward and Dorothy Swarmer. She moved to Silver Bay when she was in the 5th grade, graduating from the newly opened William Kelley High School in 1961. That same year she married her husband Ron and...

Marjorie V Johnson

Marjorie V Johnson

Mar 7, 2026

Marjorie (Marge) Violet Johnson, age 93, passed away on March 7, 2026. Born May 15, 1932, in Amherst Township, Fillmore County, Minnesota, to Harry and Hilda McKay, she and her twin sister, Marilyn, were the youngest of seven children.

Marge attended O’Hara Country School and graduated from Harmony High School in 1950. It was on a shared school bus ride that...

Rodger D Olson

Rodger D Olson

Mar 7, 2026

Rodger D. Olson, 92, Two Harbors, died Saturday, March 7, 2026, at Aspirus-St.Luke’s Hospital.

Rodger was born March 22, 1933, to Rudolph and Irene (Hanson) Olson in Northwood, North Dakota, where he grew up and was as a 3-sport athlete. Shortly after high school he married his high school sweetheart Adeline. On Feb. 20th they celebrated 72 years of marriage!

Rodger attended...

Gerald S. Jackson

Gerald S. Jackson

Mar 6, 2026

Gerald S. Jackson, 87, of French River, died Friday, March 6th at his home.

Jerry was born March 4th, 1939 to Helge and Svea (Sundstrom) Jackson in Duluth and was a life-long resident of the French River area. He was an electrician for Minnesota Power for many years to his retirement. Throughout his life, Jerry enjoyed the outdoors – fishing, snowmobiling,...

Charles L. Kaiser

Charles L. Kaiser

Mar 6, 2026

Charles “Chuck” Lloyd Kaiser, 88, of Silver Bay died on March 6, 2026, after a decades-long struggle with deteriorating physical health. He was born on January 28, 1938, at home in Danube, Minnesota. His family ultimately settled in Willmar, Minnesota. When they moved from Danube to Willmar, the family had to switch from the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod to Missouri...

Daniel W. Goodenough Jr.

Daniel W. Goodenough Jr.

Mar 3, 2026

Daniel Webster Goodenough died March 3, 2026, in Two Harbors at age 87. Dan was born in Detroit, Michigan on Jan. 22, 1939, to Daniel and Margaret Goodenough. He grew up with two younger sisters with whom he shared a lifelong closeness. He loved summers at the Teton Valley Ranch in Wyoming. Over several years Dan received a BA from...

Roland W. Johnson

Roland W. Johnson

Mar 2, 2026

Roland Wayne Johnson, “Rollie,” 86 of Lakewood Township (Duluth), departed to be with his Lord on Monday, March 2nd, 2026, at Essentia Health in Duluth. He was born on September 2, 1939, to Swan and Geraldine (Moren) Johnson. In his youth, he attended Duluth schools and served in the US Army in Korea. He married Jean Alice Jensen in 1964,...

Linda R. Anderson

Linda R. Anderson

Mar 1, 2026

Linda R. Anderson, age 68, of Two Harbors, passed away on Sunday, March 1, 2026, at her home, surrounded by family.

Born on April 22, 1957, in St. Cloud, Linda was the cherished daughter of Larry and May (Brown) Burski.

In 1976, Linda married Robert Hultstrom, and together they welcomed three children: Erik, Lisa, and Anders. After 17 years of marriage they...

Ruth Lovaas

Ruth Lovaas

Feb 28, 2026

Ruth Elizabeth (Shold) Lovaas, 98, of Grand Marais, passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 28, 2026, with family by her side.

Ruth was born December 9,1927, to Andrew and Esther Alfreda (Backlund) Shold in Grand Marais, MN, and grew up on their farm. She graduated from high school in Grand Marais and attended Bethel College.

Before she married Donald Lovaas in 1950,...

Robert D. Velcheff

Robert D. Velcheff

Feb 26, 2026

Robert D. Velcheff, 69, of Silver Bay died Thursday, February 26, 2026 at home.

He was born January 30, 1957 to Donald and Mollie Velcheff.

Robert was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Sharon Stauss.

He is survived by siblings Terry Kuhns, Susan Maki, Janice Thompson, and Richard Velcheff.