Lorraine Marie "Sue" Chiabotti, 89, of Eagles Nest Lake, Ely, passed away on Saturday, September 2, 2017 at Essentia Health – St. Mary's Medical Center in Duluth, MN. She was born May 1, 1928, at home in rural Swan River Township, Minnesota, the daughter of Vincent and Dominicka (Krebs) Suska. Sue attended a rural two-room elementary school before attending Little Falls High School in Little Falls, MN, graduating in 1945.

After graduation Sue attended St. Cloud Teachers College. She earned her Broad Science and Mathematics Degree in 1948. She began her career first teaching in Lamberton, MN. The next year she was called to teach in Hazen, ND. In 1950, she began teaching in the Tower-Soudan High School in Tower, MN. For the next 20 years she was both a full time and substitute educator.

Sue met Ralph Chiabotti during that first year of teaching in Tower and they were married on June 16, 1952, at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Sobieski, MN. They made their home in Tower until they built their retirement home on Eagles Nest Lake #3 in 1990. Sue was the bookkeeper for Louis Chiabotti's Ford Motor Dealership, the family business Ralph's Standard Service and Tower LP Gas when Ralph was a co-owner. In 1970 she began a 20-year teaching career in mathematics at the JF Kennedy School in Babbitt, MN. After retirement both she and Ralph became snowbirds and wintered for a number of years in Fort Myers Beach, FL and later near their daughter in Seal Beach, CA. After Ralph's passing, Sue split the winter months with her daughter's families between Los Alamitos, CA and Cape Coral, FL.

She was a member of St. Martin's Catholic Church in Tower. Never one to stay idle, she spent 60+ years as a member of the Tower Women's Club, was involved with the Building Committee for the new Eagles Nest Town Hall, Eagles Nest Seniors, Eagles Nest Lake Association, Eagles Nest Juliets Luncheon Club, former member of the Eagles Nest Fireflies, Tuesday morning Kabitz group, Eagles Nest Quilters Group, and the Joint Powers Committee St. Louis County Schools.

Sue is survived by children: Debra (Richard) Herring of Iron, MN and Cape Coral, FL, David (Dawn) Chiabotti of Lakeville, MN, and Lisa (Phil) Seymour of Los Alamitos, CA; grandchildren: Katie (Darin) Miller, Lindsey (Travis) Kozumplik, Chris (Laura) Chiabotti, Jeff (Sarah) Chiabotti, Adam (Lori) Chiabotti, Tyler Morse, Rachel Seymour, and Kevin Seymour; great-grandchildren: Harper and Maxtan Miller, Emery Kozumplik, Andy Groebner, Miles, Lennon, and Vincent Chiabotti, Lucia Chiabotti, Alaena and Jonathon Chiabotti; extended family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Ralph, sister Eleanor Hall, and brothers George Suska and Ambrose Suszka.

The Memorial Mass will be held at 12 Noon on Saturday, September 16, 2017, at St. Martin's Catholic Church in Tower. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church. Reverend Father Nick Nelson will be the Celebrant. Inurnment will be in the Lakeview Cemetery in Tower.

Family services are provided by Bauman-Vermilion, a Bauman Family Funeral Home, in Tower. To express condolences on-line please see: www.baumanfuneralhome.com.

Facts

Born: May 1, 1928
Place of Birth: Swan River Twp., MN
Death: September 2, 2017
Place of Death: Duluth, MN
Occupation: Teacher
Hobbies: Quilting
Organizations: St. Martin's Catholic Church, Tower Women's Club, Building Committee Eagles Nest Town Hall, Eagles Nest Seniors, Eagles Nest Lake Association, Eagles Nest Juliets Luncheon Club, Eagles Nest Quilters group, Joint Powers Committee St. Louis County Schools

Services Gathering Time for Family and Friends

Saturday September 16, 2017 , 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM at St. Martin's Catholic Church

Saturday September 16, 2017 , 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM at St. Martin's Catholic Church

Saturday September 16, 2017 at Lakeview Cemetery