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Published June 12, 2012, 12:00 AM

Donald Edward Puotinen

Donald Edward Puotinen, 86, of Esko, Minn., died Saturday, June 9, 2012, in Sunnyside Health Care Center in Cloquet, Minn. Born in 1926 in Thomson Township, Don was the son of Edward and Lempi Puotinen. He served in the United States Army during World War II and fought in Europe during the end of the war from March 1945 to July 1946. Don was a lift operator at Potlatch and retired after 33 years of employment. When his sons were young, Don was very active in Boy Scouts. He had also been an active member of St. Matthew's Lutheran Church in Esko and was a member of American Legion Post 262 in Cloquet for 58 years.

Donald Edward Puotinen, 86, of Esko, Minn., died Saturday, June 9, 2012, in Sunnyside Health Care Center in Cloquet, Minn. Born in 1926 in Thomson Township, Don was the son of Edward and Lempi Puotinen. He served in the United States Army during World War II and fought in Europe during the end of the war from March 1945 to July 1946. Don was a lift operator at Potlatch and retired after 33 years of employment. When his sons were young, Don was very active in Boy Scouts. He had also been an active member of St. Matthew's Lutheran Church in Esko and was a member of American Legion Post 262 in Cloquet for 58 years.

Don was preceded in death by his wife, Gloria; son, Lawrence; and brother, Melvin Puotinen.

He is survived by sons, Ron (Cindy) of Jacksonville, Fla., and Dale (Ronda) of Boyceville, Wis.; three grandchildren, Joshua, Tanya and Dawn; one great-grandchild, Austin; and a sister, Joyce Farrell of Napa, Calif.

Visitation was held Wednesday, June 13, from noon until the 1 p.m. funeral service in St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, Esko. Interment was in St. Matthew's Cemetery with military honors accorded by the Cloquet Combined Honor Guard.

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

June 14, 2012 ~ Pine Journal, Cloquet, Minn.

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brian p.
Mchenry, IL     09/01/2012 5:20 PM

Uncle Don will really be missed! He helped our family so many times I cannot even begin to count. I haven't seen him since I left Minnesota in 1986, but did chat with him occassionally. My condolances to Dale and the rest of the family. Brian Puotinen

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