Edward J. Wakefield, Sr., Calumet, passed away at home with loved ones by his side May 15, 2017.
Born August 31, 1941, in Ball Club, he was one of 14 children, orphaned at 11 years old, and homeless at 14 when he ran away from abusive foster care. He was humble, wise, dedicated, strong, talented, hardworking, and a fighter. A policeman encouraged him to quit street fighting and come to his gym to take up boxing. While going to school, he was Golden Gloves boxing bantamweight champion 3 years in a row, winning 70 of 76 fights. He made it alone and graduated from high school in 1961. Then he served in the US Navy for 10 years as a 1st Class Machinist Mate on the USS Dyess in Vietnam and all along the US coast, still boxing, and honorably discharged. He met Carol Pimentel in Massachusetts while on tour, they married November 20, 1965. A supervisor with a chief engineer's grade A license at Minnesota Power, he retired after 22 years to fish, hunt, race, plow, groom the lawn, help anyone, share anything – especially good advice and his amazing humor – and be a really great dad.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Carol, and survived by: two sons, Edward Jr., Golden Valley, and Michael, grandson, Brett, and great-grandson, Owen, all in Grand Rapids; brother Dennis (Marge), Warba; sisters Florence Johnson, Grand Rapids, Doris Groce, Cohasset.
At his request, no services are planned. He was really grateful to everyone who came from Itasca County Hospice for their very personal care.
A great man, he will be missed very, very much. Happy trails.
Grand Rapids Herald-Review, Grand Rapids, MN.
May 17, 2017
Born August 31, 1941, in Ball Club, he was one of 14 children, orphaned at 11 years old, and homeless at 14 when he ran away from abusive foster care. He was humble, wise, dedicated, strong, talented, hardworking, and a fighter. A policeman encouraged him to quit street fighting and come to his gym to take up boxing. While going to school, he was Golden Gloves boxing bantamweight champion 3 years in a row, winning 70 of 76 fights. He made it alone and graduated from high school in 1961. Then he served in the US Navy for 10 years as a 1st Class Machinist Mate on the USS Dyess in Vietnam and all along the US coast, still boxing, and honorably discharged. He met Carol Pimentel in Massachusetts while on tour, they married November 20, 1965. A supervisor with a chief engineer's grade A license at Minnesota Power, he retired after 22 years to fish, hunt, race, plow, groom the lawn, help anyone, share anything – especially good advice and his amazing humor – and be a really great dad.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Carol, and survived by: two sons, Edward Jr., Golden Valley, and Michael, grandson, Brett, and great-grandson, Owen, all in Grand Rapids; brother Dennis (Marge), Warba; sisters Florence Johnson, Grand Rapids, Doris Groce, Cohasset.
At his request, no services are planned. He was really grateful to everyone who came from Itasca County Hospice for their very personal care.
A great man, he will be missed very, very much. Happy trails.
Grand Rapids Herald-Review, Grand Rapids, MN.
May 17, 2017
Edward J. Wakefield, Sr., Calumet, passed away at home with loved ones by his side May 15, 2017.
Born August 31, 1941, in Ball Club, he was one of 14 children, orphaned at 11 years old, and homeless at 14 when he ran away from abusive foster care. He was humble, wise, dedicated, strong, talented, hardworking, and a fighter. A policeman encouraged him to quit street fighting and come to his gym to take up boxing. While going to school, he was Golden Gloves boxing bantamweight champion 3 years in a row, winning 70 of 76 fights. He made it alone and graduated from high school in 1961. Then he served in the US Navy for 10 years as a 1st Class Machinist Mate on the USS Dyess in Vietnam and all along the US coast, still boxing, and honorably discharged. He met Carol Pimentel in Massachusetts while on tour, they married November 20, 1965. A supervisor with a chief engineer's grade A license at Minnesota Power, he retired after 22 years to fish, hunt, race, plow, groom the lawn, help anyone, share anything – especially good advice and his amazing humor – and be a really great dad.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Carol, and survived by: two sons, Edward Jr., Golden Valley, and Michael, grandson, Brett, and great-grandson, Owen, all in Grand Rapids; brother Dennis (Marge), Warba; sisters Florence Johnson, Grand Rapids, Doris Groce, Cohasset.
At his request, no services are planned. He was really grateful to everyone who came from Itasca County Hospice for their very personal care.
A great man, he will be missed very, very much. Happy trails.
Grand Rapids Herald-Review, Grand Rapids, MN.
May 17, 2017
Born August 31, 1941, in Ball Club, he was one of 14 children, orphaned at 11 years old, and homeless at 14 when he ran away from abusive foster care. He was humble, wise, dedicated, strong, talented, hardworking, and a fighter. A policeman encouraged him to quit street fighting and come to his gym to take up boxing. While going to school, he was Golden Gloves boxing bantamweight champion 3 years in a row, winning 70 of 76 fights. He made it alone and graduated from high school in 1961. Then he served in the US Navy for 10 years as a 1st Class Machinist Mate on the USS Dyess in Vietnam and all along the US coast, still boxing, and honorably discharged. He met Carol Pimentel in Massachusetts while on tour, they married November 20, 1965. A supervisor with a chief engineer's grade A license at Minnesota Power, he retired after 22 years to fish, hunt, race, plow, groom the lawn, help anyone, share anything – especially good advice and his amazing humor – and be a really great dad.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Carol, and survived by: two sons, Edward Jr., Golden Valley, and Michael, grandson, Brett, and great-grandson, Owen, all in Grand Rapids; brother Dennis (Marge), Warba; sisters Florence Johnson, Grand Rapids, Doris Groce, Cohasset.
At his request, no services are planned. He was really grateful to everyone who came from Itasca County Hospice for their very personal care.
A great man, he will be missed very, very much. Happy trails.
Grand Rapids Herald-Review, Grand Rapids, MN.
May 17, 2017
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