Obituaries: May 13, 2022

Bette A. Dolinar
Bette Ann Dolinar, 87, of Soudan, died peacefully in her home on Saturday, May 7, 2022. A Memorial Mass will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 14 at St. Martin’s Catholic Church in Tower. Reverend Father Beau Braun will celebrate the Mass. A gathering time for family and friends will begin one hour prior to the Mass at the church. Inurnment will take place in Lakeview Cemetery in Tower at a later date. Family services are provided by Bauman-Vermilion, a Bauman Family Funeral Home in Tower.
Bette was born on Oct. 2, 1934, in Soudan, the daughter of Joseph and Katherine (Brula) Vaida and was a graduate of Tower-Soudan High School. Bette moved to Chicago right after high school to work for AT&T. While in Chicago she met Roger Dolinar, from Chisholm, and they fell in love. They were married in Tower, and were longtime residents of Soudan. After Roger retired, they purchased a cabin on Lake Vermilion where they enjoyed 10-plus years of lake life, and their passion for travel brought them to all 50 states. Betty was an active member of St. Martin’s Catholic Church in Tower; she taught religious education, served with the women’s circles, and loved praying rosaries.
Bette is survived by her children, Mike (Teresa) Dolinar of Soudan and Mary Kay (Tracey) Murray of Superior; grandchildren, Amanda (Alex Marwick) Kehus, Mark (Sarina Ronning) Murray and Brett Murray; great-granddaughter, Hadley; nephews and niece, Joe Vaida, John Vaida, Gene Siadek and Mary Siadek; and extended family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Roger; and siblings, Joe (Marie) Vaida and Rosie (Sid) Siadek.

William A. Mault
William A. “Bill” Mault, 65, of Cook, passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 7, 2022, following a courageous battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Services will be held on Thursday, May 19 at Mlaker Funeral Home in Cook, with visitation at 1 p.m. followed by a celebration of life at 2 p.m. Burial at the Cook Cemetery will follow services with family members attending.
Bill was born to Jay and Joann (Hottle) Mault on March 5, 1957, in Indianapolis, Ind. At the age of three, he moved to Cook when his parents purchased Vermilion Dam Lodge Resort on Lake Vermilion. Growing up on the resort allowed Bill to experience all that Lake Vermilion had to offer, and to learn and explore all the lake’s nooks and crannies. The resort was sold in 1974 and the Maults moved into a home on what would be known as Mault Point on Lake Vermilion.
Bill graduated from Cook High School in 1975. In 1979, after a few years working construction, he began his 37-year career with Inland Steel Mining in Virginia, where he worked primarily as a heavy equipment and crane operator.
In 1986, Bill met the love of his life, Nancy. They were married in 1987. Bill shared his love for the lake with Nancy and their three children. Together they enjoyed fishing, boating, swimming, bonfires, and many family gatherings. Bill also enjoyed deer hunting and especially grouse hunting and just spending time in the woods. He passed his hunting passions on to his son Dan. Bill was proud of his family and was blessed with three beautiful grandchildren. Bill and Nancy also shared a love for traveling and especially enjoyed relaxing on the beach. They were fortunate to share many trips to Florida.
Bill and Nancy sold their Lake Vermilion home in 2019. After Nancy retired in 2021, they settled in North Branch. Bill was diagnosed with ALS in 2020. He fought a courageous battle and although debilitated by this terrible disease, Bill amazingly kept a positive attitude, embracing all the blessings he had been given in his life. Bill died peacefully with Nancy by his side.
Bill is survived by his beloved wife, Nancy Butler Mault; daughters, Jennifer (Chris) Mauer and Jessica (James) Darcy; son, Daniel (Jurnee) Mault; brother, Jay (Tammy) Mault; sister, Cathy Cariveau; grandchildren, Harrison, Claire and Theodore; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Jay Mault and Joann (Hottle) Mault; and special brother-in-law, James Butler.

David M. Stanton
David Monnie Stanton, 79, of Cook, passed away on Sunday, April 24, 2022. A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 14 at Mlaker Funeral Home in Cook. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Arrangements are with Mlaker Funeral Home in Cook.
David was born in Chicago, Ill., on Feb. 23, 1943, to May Ripnen and Robert Stanton. He attended school in Virginia and then Cook High School. He entered the United States Air Force in 1961, and honorably served his country for four years and nine months. He married Kathryn Kontio on Sept. 25, 1965, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cook. David worked for US Steel, Minntac and International Harvester. He then started his own welding business where he worked until retirement. He was a member of the Cook VFW Post 1757 and the Honor Guard. He was also a member of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and volunteered for many VFW and DAV events.
David enjoyed hunting, fishing, and going to his cabin on the lake. He had an airboat that he purchased in 1998 which allowed him to go to the cabin year-round. He enjoyed researching YouTube for videos to help him repair different things. David also enjoyed visiting Wayne, his lifelong best friend, in Montana every summer. After Wayne passed away, David kept in close contact with Wayne’s children. David was a friendly, quiet person. He was a caring person and was often concerned for other people.
David is survived by his wife, Kathryn Stanton; daughter, Melissa (Michael) Weske; sister, Sharon Gartner; faithful companion and beloved dog, Sisu; and many other family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; stepfather, Melvin Lund; and aunt and uncle, Aino and Einar Johnson.

Patricia Z. Staehle
Patricia “Pat” Zetta Staehle, 104, of Virginia, died on Saturday, April 30, 2022, with her children, their spouses, and several grandchildren by her side. A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 21 at the Minneapolis Marriot Southwest in Minnetonka. Memorials may be directed to the Crane Lake Volunteer Fire Department, PO Box 407, Crane Lake, MN 55725. Arrangements are with Landmark Funeral Home of Virginia.
Patricia Zetta was born on Nov. 27, 1917, in Minneapolis, to Donald and Zetta Lane. She grew up with her sister Bernice “Bunny” and her brother Jack. The family lived in several cities in Minnesota and North Dakota before settling in Minneapolis. While growing up she attended various churches as her mother was an organist and her father was a soloist.
Pat graduated from West High School in Minneapolis in 1936. She fell in love with George A. Staehle and they were married on Nov. 10, 1938, at Hennepin Avenue Methodist Church in Minneapolis, where they became members. Pat and George made their home in Minneapolis until he was called to serve in the Coast Guard in the Aleutian Islands during World War II. During the war years, Pat lived with her sister Bunny in Minnetonka.
After the war, Pat and George, who was a home builder and cabinet maker, built a home for themselves in Minnetonka where they raised four children. During this time Pat worked at Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park, first as a ward secretary and then for 17 years as an office manager for the anesthesiology department.  
In the 1940s, Pat helped her husband build three cabins for their close friends, the Gilman family, on Sandpoint Lake near Minnesota’s boundary waters area. After Pat’s retirement in 1980, they built their own cabin next to their longtime friends. They spent summers at the lake and wintered in Texas for many years. Later they moved in with their daughter Barbara in Virginia. George passed away in 2001 and Pat continued living with her daughter for twenty more years.
Pat loved reading, writing letters, sending birthday cards, crocheting and knitting, playing the piano and organ, traveling, fishing, snowmobiling, volunteering, and being a Girl Scout leader. She also enjoyed going out dancing and entertaining. She was a member of Excelsior Methodist Church in Excelsior for many years. Later she was a member and volunteered at Crane Lake Chapel in Crane Lake. She was very outgoing, with a wonderful sense of humor, and could strike up a conversation with just about anyone. She made many, many friends along the way.
Pat lived a rich and full life. Her entire family is so very grateful for the loving care her daughter Barb gave to her parents, especially to her mother all of those years.
Pat is survived by her four children, Sandra Kaul of Bemidji, Barbara Staehle of Virginia, Brad (Debra) Staehle of Minnetonka and Brian (Cynthia) Staehle of Andover; grandchildren, Stephen (Christine), Allison (Chris), Kerry (Jon), Lane (Adam), Kristin, Amy (Jim) and Erin (Bryce); great-grandchildren, Isabella, Julia, Anika, Maia, Greta, Evan, Ada, Piper, Amber and Wiley; great-great-grandchildren, Lily and Nathan; and special nieces and nephews, Karen (John) Trueman, Marty (Tina) Woods, Susy (Alan) Cormier, Lauren Overton, Lynn Hutchinson and Don Lane.
She was preceded in death by her husband, George Staehle; mother, Zetta Susan Ogg Lane Smith; father, Donald C. Lane; brother, Jack D. Lane; sister-in-law, Raye Lane; sister, Bernice Woods; brother-in-law, Warren Woods; mother-in-law, Rita Fuller; sister-in-law, Maxine Berg; brother-in-law, Harry Berg; stepfather-in-law, Monroe Fuller; nephew, Richard Berg; and son-in-law, Marley Kaul. 

Lee R. Gustafson
Lee Roger Gustafson, 72, of Cook, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, April 28, 2022, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Duluth. A celebration of life was held on Wednesday, May 11 at Mlaker Funeral Home in Cook. A luncheon followed at the Cook Community Center.
He is survived by his sister, Linda Gustafson Poshak; nephews, Jay Poshak (Jackie Bregier), Kale, Kamryn, Marc Poshak (Amy Consoer) and Mike (Susan) Gustafson; niece, Lynn (Dave) Schwob; great-nephews and great-nieces, Kevin, Connor, Andrew, Sara and Abbey; sister-in-law, Mary Gustafson; cousins, Donna Picek, Lawrence (Donna) Gustafson and Sue (Richard) Pliml and their families; and several other relatives and friends.