Richard Abram Pauna

Richard Abram Pauna, 92, Cloquet, died Monday, September 12, 2005 in Sunnyside Health Care Center, Cloquet. He was born August 13, 1913 in Menahga, MN, the son of Abram and Hilma (Hakonen) Pauna. He married Irja Kallinen on October 18, 1940 in Chicago. He was raised in Menahga and as a young man, Richard worked in the CCC Camps. From 1930 - 1936, he worked on a farm in North Dakota. He then moved to Chicago, where he worked at a soybean plant until 1941. Following their marriage, Richard and Irja moved to Menagha where they farmed from 1941 - 1952. In 1952, the family moved to Cloquet and Richard was a full time dairy farmer and worked for Conwed until 1976 and for Northland Funeral Home until 2004. Richard was a member of the Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Church. He will fondly be remembered as the "hardest working person at Conwed". He was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Joyce; his son, Robert "Bob" Pauna on October 4, 1998 and his sister, Ida Makela. Richard is survived by his wife, Irja, of Cloquet; three sons, Arnie (Marty) of Vale, North Carolina, Kenneth (Bernadette) and Victor, both of Cloquet; 10 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren. Visitation Funeral services were held on Saturday, September 17, 2005 in the Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Church, Big Lake Road, Cloquet. Interment was in Perch Lake Cemetery, Perch Lake Township. In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to the American Red Cross for Hurricane Katrina Relief. Arrangements entrusted to Northland Funeral Home, 801 14th Street, Cloquet.