Pine Knot News - A hometown newspaper with a local office, local owners & lots of local news

Neil Dale Woodward, 87, of Cloquet passed away suddenly Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, at Cloquet Community Memorial Hospital.

Neil was born in Duluth to James and Hazel (Nelson) Woodward on Oct. 23, 1932.

Neil served as a sergeant in the U.S. Marines during the Korean War. After the war, he returned to Cloquet and worked for many years at Northwest Paper/Potlatch until his retirement in 1995. He married Darlene Delores Lahti on Aug. 10, 1957, and they spent 62 happy years together. He was a member of the DAV, American Legion, VFW, NRA, and the Potlatch Quarter Century Club. He loved to hunt and was passionate about anything related to firearms. Neil will be remembered for his cantankerous sense of humor, his deep love for his family, his free hand at the feeder for the local wildlife, and his penchant for gadgets.

Neil was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Willard; and sisters Jeanette Sather and Peg Little.

Neil is survived by his wife, Darlene; son Al Woodward; daughter Dr. Jessica (Erik) Lavan; brother Don (Ardel) Woodward; grandchildren Randi (Mark) Nyholm, Sam (Paul) LeMay, Joey (Nathan) Helder, Grace Lavan and Ethan Lavan; and six great-grandchildren.

Visitation: 10 a.m. until the 11 a.m. funeral service Friday, Feb. 7 in the Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Church, 2502 Big Lake Road, Cloquet. Military Honors will be accorded by the Cloquet Combined Honor Guard. A time of lunch and fellowship will follow. Inurnment will be in the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Duluth. To sign the guest book and offer an online tribute, see http://www.atkinsnorthlandfuneralhome.com

Pine Knot News, Feb. 7, 2020.