Albert Jerome Veranth

Albert Jerome (Al, Abba) Veranth, 99, of Ely, Minnesota, passed away on Thursday, February 23, 2017 at Ely Bloomenson Hospital.
Al was born on May 9, 1917, the second of four children born to Joseph and Mary Veranth. He was a lifelong resident of Ely. 
He attended Ely schools, then worked various jobs including for the Minnesota Highway Department, before enlisting in the Army, where he served as a cook for a medical regiment in the South Pacific/Philippines during WWll. He met his wife, Ruth Schliesman, of Milbank, SD, as a pen-pal while stationed there. They were married in 1946 in Milbank, SD after he was discharged. 
They chose to live in Ely, where Al worked in the logging and mining industries and as a fishing guide. As an underground miner, he survived a collapse at the Zenith Mine in August, 1959; as a result, there was a question as to whether he would be able to walk again. He regained most of his mobility and continued to work, starting the following summer for Pete’s Cabin Boats, as a guide on Basswood Lake, until he became employed with Reserve Mining in Babbitt, MN, where he worked until his retirement in 1982. From there, he continued to work part time as a handyman for cabin owners in the Ely area.
Al took great pride in living in Ely; to him it was home. He would eagerly show off the surrounding area landmarks with one of his infamous car rides to his guests. His creativity was driven out of necessity, as was evident by the stone retaining wall he built around his home, which became a West End icon. His garage was home to many projects, including old TV sets that he would convert into entertainment centers, lest “all that good lumber go to waste.” He enjoyed all seasons in the Northwoods, and could frequently be seen hiking or skiing down the Lucky Boy Mine Road, his lifelong go-to spot. He insisted quite frequently that his family join him on his endeavors, whether it meant loading up their small aluminum fishing boat and navigating two portages to Basswood to camp for a week, or trudging through bogs so thick that they devoured footwear, burned out areas and “acid rich” soil in search of blueberries. Al was a founding member of the Ely Nordic Ski Club and participated in the local area ski races well into his 80s. Around town, he could be found telling jokes and stories to anyone who would stop and be an audience. Except for annual excursions to Army reunions, he felt Ely was the place to be, and took great pleasure in listening to polkas when not following sports or current events. 
Al was preceded in death by his parents, his older sister Leona (Woody) Pierce of Washington State, and younger sisters: Ida (Oliver) Nykanen and Amelia (Fred) Tomsich, both of Ely.
He is survived by his wife of over 70 years, Ruth, and their four children: Dave (Janice) Veranth of Zimmerman, MN; Joette Veranth of Mora, MN; Jerry (Sherry) Veranth of Ely, MN and Debbie (Joel) Waldon of Brooklyn Park, MN. He has two grandson: Tony (Deana) Veranth of Osseo, MN and Dan Veranth of Austin, TX, and two great grandchildren and numerous nephews and nieces.
There will be no services nor memorials per his request. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home.
 

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