Christine R. Karulak

Christine R. Karulak, 88, of Sand Lake (Moose Lake), Minn., and formally of Aurora, Minn., passed away Dec. 28, 2009. She was born in Aurora in 1921 to John and Mary Peterka and graduated from Aurora High School at age 16. Upon graduation from high school, she attended Duluth State Teachers College (University of Minnesota Duluth) and received her Bachelor of Science degree in 1968 from UMD. Her teaching career included positions at Lonsdale, Guthrie and Scanlon, Minn. In 1960, she was hired by the Cloquet school system where she taught at Leach and Garfield schools until her retirement in 1980.

During World War II, she was employed by the U.S. Government at Camp Anza, Calif., in the finance department and by the U.S. Navy in New Orleans, La.

Christine was a member and Silver Sister of the Psi Chapter of the Alpha Delta Kappa Sorority, which is an honorary organization of the teaching profession, where she served as chairperson of the scholarship committee for 10 years, vice president and treasurer. She was a member of Retired Educators of Minnesota, Cloquet Education Association, Cloquet Friday Club and Moose Lake Hospital Auxiliary. She was a member of Holy Angels Catholic Church in Moose Lake and a former member of St. Casimir’s Catholic Church of Cloquet.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a grandson, Jeffrey John Huard; three brothers, Martin, John and Phillip Peterka; and a sister, Mary Olson.

Christine is survived by her husband, Joe; daughter, Mary Louise Karulak of Plymouth; two sons, Joseph A. (Nicki) Karulak Jr. of White Bear Lake and Dr. Charles J. (Ginger) Karulak of Boerne, Texas; grandchildren, Christian (Julie) Huard, Sarah Huard, Brett Karulak, Bethany Karulak, Bryce (Jessica) Karulak, Francina Karulak, Billie Jo Cadena, Marthe Mainereich and Angela Karulak; great-grandchildren, Christopher, Kiera, Stephanie, Jacob, Brock, George, William, Trista, Mira and Mischa; two brothers, Dr. Edward S. (Jean) Peterka of Galesburg, Ill., and Charles (Dorothy) Peterka of St. Cloud, Minn.; three sisters, Ann Grigal of Virginia, Minn., Margaret Ball and Gabriella (John) Goritchan, both of Aurora; and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held Saturday, Jan. 2, from 10 a.m. until the 11 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial in Holy Angels Catholic Church, Moose Lake. Burial will be in the spring in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Kettle River.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred for educational scholarships.

Arrangements entrusted to Atkins-Northland Funeral Home, Cloquet, 218-879-7184. To leave an online tribute, see www.atkinsnorthlandfuneralhome.com.

January 7, 2009 ~ Pine Journal, Cloquet, Minn.

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