Francis James Haverkamp passed away at home on June 9, 2018, after a short battle with cancer.

Francis was born in Hibbing on Dec. 11, 1939, to Ivan and Lauretta (McCabe) Haverkamp. He was the second of three children.

Whether you knew him as Francis, Fran or Frank, you would and always will remember him. He could be wonderfully generous and caring, or at times expertly difficult and stubborn.

Francis entered the Navy at the age of 17 and worked as an aircraft mechanic. He saw service in Japan, Hawaii (making flights to Vietnam during the Vietnam War), Key West and Jacksonville, Fla. Before leaving the Navy in 1976, he was stationed aboard the USS Saratoga on which he traveled the Mediterranean Region for 9 months.

After leaving the Navy, Francis and his wife, Susan, returned to their hometown of Hibbing with their four children: James, Susan, Thomas and Cynthia. There he briefly worked for National Steel, after which he started a career with Hibbing Public Utilities. He worked 25 years at the HPU in the Coal and Ash Department, with many of those years as Coal and Ash foreman. He retired in April 2006.

Francis enjoyed 12 years of retirement, spending 8 of them with his beloved Newfoundland named Gomer. Persons who saw Frank in his black Ford F150 with 180-pound Gomer hanging his head out the window certainly took notice. They even made the Hibbing Daily Tribune

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Francis greatly enjoyed traveling about in his truck, watching game shows and NCIS (the original one), his Dr. Pepper and the China Buffet, playing the lottery, visiting with family and friends, and joking around and messing with others-especially being a well-practiced smart ass.

Francis touched many lives and will be greatly missed.

Fran is survived by his wife of almost 54 years, Susan (Crawford); his four children: James, Susan (Dale), Thomas (Beth) and Cynthia (David); his grandchildren: Andrew (Kristina) Haverkamp and Tatsiana, Benjamin, Matthew and Mitchell Wilson; his great-grandson, Lukas Haverkamp; his sister, Patricia (Anders) Stone; his brother, Robert (Carol) Haverkamp; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Francis was preceded in death by his parents and his beloved dogs, Dave and Gomer.

Thankfully, his suffering was short. May he rest in peace.

The family would like to thank Essentia Health Itasca County Hospice Team for the wonderful care they provided him during his illness and for all the support they provided his caregivers. Their kindness, diligence, and professionalism will never be forgotten.

Funeral: Per his request, there will be no funeral. Rather, he wanted a gathering of family and friends to celebrate his life. The family would like you to join them for good food, fun times and to share happy memories in honor of his life from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 1, at Nashwauk Township Community Center (Cloverdale Hall), located at 16410 County Rd. 8 in Nashwauk. We hope to see you there.