William Nicholas Rom

William Nicholas Rom died at home on Jan. 20, 2008. Bill was born on Dec. 5, 1917 in Ely to Casper and Mary Rom. He graduated from Ely High School and Ely Junior College, and received a degree in wildlife management from the University of Minnesota. Bill served for five years in the Navy during World War II, resigning as a Lt. Commander. Except for his service in the Navy, Bill lived his entire life in Ely. Above all else, Bill loved his family and the Quetico Superior canoe country wilderness. After Bill returned to Ely following his Navy service, Bill and Barb founded Canoe Country Outfitters, which they operated for 30 years. Through Canoe Country Outfitters, Bill introduced thousands of people to the lakes and woods of the Quetico Superior. His enthusiasm for the wilderness inspired many of those people to return to Ely year after year. Bill was active and interested in many things: he loved to hunt, fish, travel, work in the woods, read, garden, hike, snowshoe, and ski. Bill was a pilot from 1939 until the mid 90's; he flew his floatplane to his fishing camps in Canada and on longer expeditions to the Arctic. He was preceded in death by his parents and eight brothers and sisters. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Barbara Jean; his children, Bill, Jr. (Holly), Becky (Reid Carron), Larry (Susie Hario), and Roger; his grandchildren Will and Ben Carron, Nicole and Meredith Rom, and Katie, Lauren, and Emily Rom; and his sister, Dorothy Boal. GATHERING OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS:will gather on the shores of Burntside Lake this coming summer to celebrate Bill's life. Memorials may be sent to the Bill Rom Memorial Fund, Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, 401 North Third Street, Suite 290, Minneapolis, MN 55401. Family Services by Kerntz Brothers, A Bauman Family Funeral Home in Ely. To share a personal remembrance of Bill online please see www.baumanfuneralhome.com.
This obituary was originally published in the Duluth News Tribune.