Mary Ellen Kantonen LaBuda, 84, of Cloquet, Minn., died Sunday, Dec. 16, 2007, in St. Luke's Hospital in Duluth, Minn. She was born Sept. 11, 1923, in Cloquet to Charles and Myrtle Frank. She grew up and attended schools in Brookston, Minn. On Nov. 2, 1985, she married Bill LaBuda in Duluth. Mary was a member of St. Francis Catholic Church in Carlton, Minn., the Ladies Get Together Club, a Birthday Club, and the Women of the Moose. She enjoyed fishing, watching her grandchildren's sporting events, and watching and feeding birds. Her greatest joy in life was being a mom and grandmother.
Mary was preceded in death by her first husband, John Kantonen, in 1980; and three brothers, Paul, John and Robert Frank.
She is survived by her husband, Bill LaBuda of Cloquet; her children, Kerry (Vic) Klune of Embarrass, Minn., Sandi (Michael) Roe of Ely, Minn., John (Jeanne) Kantonen of Duluth, and Jane (Eldon) Hall of Ely; sister, Ida Peterson of Hermantown, Minn.; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Visitation was held Wednesday, Dec. 19, from 2 p.m. until the 3 p.m. memorial mass in St. Francis Catholic Church in Carlton. Lunch and fellowship followed in the church social hall. Inurnment will be in Maple Grove Cemetery in the spring.
Arrangements entrusted to Northland Funeral Home, Cloquet, (218) 879-7184. To sign the guest book and leave an online tribute, see www.northlandfuneralhome.com .
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December 20, 2007
- Cloquet, Minn.
