William F. Pucel

William (Bill) F. Pucel, 78, of Ely, died Thursday, March 27, 2003, in the VA Medical Center in St. Cloud, Minnesota. He was born in Ely, Minnesota, on April 4, 1924, to Mary (Shober) and John Pucel and graduated in 1942 from Ely Memorial High School. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. In 1944, he married Olive Soderberg of Soudan, Minnesota. After the Army Air Corps, he established his own logging business and then owned and operated the Winton Economy Cash grocery store in Winton until 1957. At that time he became the Meat Department manager for his brother's Ely IGA grocery store. He established the Boundary Waters Canoe Outfitters in 1959 and later the Boundary Waters Motel, both of which he owned and operated until his retirement in 1982. Bill was very active in local and state organizations and believed in leaving the community a better place to live and work. He served on the Ely School Board, St. Louis County 4-H Board, Minnesota Canoe Outfitters Association, and the Ely Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Also, he was one of the founding directors of the Ely Boundary Waters State Bank. In his leisure time, Bill was an avid hunter/fisherman and enjoyed taking hunting and fishing trips with his family members and hunting group. He particularly enjoyed spending time at his hunting 'shack' cooking dinner, telling hunting stories, and playing cards. Bill liked nothing more than being surrounded by his family and friends. His grandchildren were a very important part of his life. He loved to take time each day to be with his friends in his garage 'office.' He was preceded in death by his wife, Ollie; his parents; by his brothers John, Joseph, Fred, and Edward; by his sisters Mary, Josephine, Ann, Angela, and Rosemary. Bill is survived by his sons, John (Joanna) of St. Cloud, Minn., and Bill, Jr. of Plymouth, Minn.; and daughter, Mary Gayle of Cloquet; sister Julia Pucel of Virginia; grandchildren Janet (Brian) Seitz of Sherwood, Ore., Jill, Jay, and Kelly of Plymouth, Minn.; and great-grandson, Brenden Seitz; and numerous nieces and nephews. VISITATION: noon until the 1 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial in St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Ely on Monday, March 31, 2003. Reverend Father James Scheuer, celebrant. A Spring Interment will be held at the Ely Cemetery. A memorial will be established in Bill's name with the St. Louis County 4-H Camp. Family Services provided by Kerntz Brothers, A Bauman Family Funeral Home in Ely. To share a personal remembrance of Bill online, see: www. baumanfuneralhome.com .