Colleen A. Basney

Colleen Ann Basney of St. Paul, MN, and formerly of Cloquet, MN, peacefully passed away with her daughters by her side on Sunday, October 20th, 2024 at the age of 73. She was born on March 26th, 1951 in Newcastle, Wyoming, and grew up in Cloquet. Colleen graduated from Cloquet Senior High School in 1969, Abbott Northwestern School of Nursing in 1973, and Abbott Northwestern School of Anesthesia in 1979.
Colleen's 40 fulfilling years as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) took her to a variety of settings during her career, including St. Luke's Hospital in Duluth, University of Wisconsin-Madison Health, outpatient surgery centers in Minneapolis & St. Paul, and non-profit trips to Nicaragua, where she assisted in cleft lip and palate surgeries. Her calm and confident manner reassured thousands of patients as they entered the surgery suite.
Colleen was physically active and cherished spending time outdoors. She loved kayaking, walking, gardening, driving her convertible, and cross-country skiing. She instilled in her daughters a love of the outdoors and an appreciation of how to spend time outside, no matter what the Minnesota seasons have in store. She especially enjoyed running and completed a number of half and full marathons, including Grandma's and the Twin Cities marathons. When not outside, she could often be found enjoying a book or the company of friends at home. One of her greatest joys was spending quality time with her children and grandchildren, whether on vacation or a relaxing Sunday afternoon at home.
She was a trailblazer–whether it was selecting vacation destinations that were off the beaten path, embracing new fashion trends and jewelry, or adopting organic food, she was always ahead of the curve. Colleen had an eye for art and interior design and enjoyed scouring antique shops for unique pieces.
Though she was small in stature, Colleen had a sharp wit and kind manner, making an outsized impact on all those around her, which will endure for years to come.
Colleen is preceded in death by her parents, Herbert and Byrne Basney. She is survived by her children, Jessica Johnson (Greg Kryzer) and her two grandchildren of Minneapolis, her daughter Elizabeth Johnson (Mikhail Kim) of Brooklyn, NY, and daughter Meghan Johnson (Casey Odom) of Boulder, CO; brothers, Jerry Basney (Jackie Basney) of Andover, MN, Keith Basney (Margie Basney) of Show Low, AZ; her beloved standard poodle, Blanche.
Colleen's family would like to thank friends and family for the on-going support during Colleen's lymphoma and related treatments. This includes poodle club friends who took her dog to the park for playdates, friends who drove her to the doctor, and all those who came for visits and brought her favorite foods, which brought her great comfort. The family would also like to thank Julie for her friendship and her help on this journey as well as St. Croix Hospice for her care and comfort during her final weeks.
A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 9, 2024, at Maple Grove Cemetery in Cloquet, MN, with a gathering to follow.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Colleen's honor to Heifer International at https://www.heifer.org/