William (Bill) Cronberg, owner of The Beaver House Inc. in Grand Marais, peacefully passed on to be with his wife Betty on Sept. 15, 2013, while surrounded by his family in his home on Devil Track Lake.
Bill was born in Chicago to Gunnar and Francis Cronberg on April 9, 1934. He joined the Army at age 17 to enlist in the Korean War, where he was stationed in Greenland and served as a chef. He married Betty Smith on Oct. 1, 1954 in Chicago, where they started their family that eventually consisted of five children.
In 1964, after previously coming to Grand Marais on fishing trips, Bill went into partnership with Guyal Anderson and they started The Beaver House together. In 1974, Bill moved from Chicago to permanently make Grand Marais his family’s new home. Then in 1976, Bill and Guyal dissolved their partnership and Bill continued to run the store with his children and grandchildren.
Bill is preceded in death by his parents, his wife, and his daughter Kimberly Cronberg.
He is survived by his children Marty (Debbie) Cronberg, Bambi (Paul) Wika, Tyson (Mindy) Cronberg, Jennifer (Chad) Morawitz; grandsons Steve, Gunnar, Kody and Everett; granddaughters Melinda (Tom) Plante, Kaylee, Selien and Shae; brother Harry (Bernadette) Cronberg; sister Darlene Potempa; sister-in-law Marlene (Chuck) Vittitow; many aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews and nieces; and many friends.
Now that I have honored tradition and both Mom and Dad have had proper obituaries submitted to the paper, I am submitting my version of an obituary for both of them, since they were partners in life for 58 years and I have no doubt are still lovingly driving each other crazy in death…that is if they have Fox News in heaven! LOL. This is more reflective of who they were and the legacy they have left to all those who are surviving their passing.
Betty (Boop) Cronberg…hoarder of everything sparkly, shiny and blue, Mother and Grandmother of the Year, and lover of jewelry, and (Beaver) Bill Cronberg…BS master of the Beaver Flick lure, treat giver to dogs, and lover of stinky leeches, both have departed this world to be joined together with their Lord in heaven.
In their time on this earth they made friends together, raised children together, survived poverty and wealth together, survived the loss of loved ones (including their baby daughter) together, celebrated the birth of new life in their grandchildren together, grew old together, and although they didn’t die on the same day, Mom held Dad in her eyes when she took her last breath and during Dad’s last breath, I felt Mom holding his hand through mine as she was waiting for him.
They are survived by…well, everyone who knew them! You see, for Betty and Bill, love was always magnified. Those who were their cousins and friends (way too many to list, but you know who you are) became their brothers and sisters. Their nieces, nephews and friends of their children (again, too many to list, but if you ever had the pleasure to meet them, you’re included) became their sons and daughters. Their sisters and brothers (Marlene, Chuck, Harry, Burn and Darlene) were just extensions of themselves who did not live in Grand Marais, but in Chicago. Their children and grandchildren (Marty, Debby, Bambi, Paul, Tyson, Mindy, Jenni, Chad, Steve, Mindy, Gunnar, Kaylee, Kody, Selien, Shae and Everett) became part of their souls. And at times, total strangers were welcomed and embraced into the family.
We were all loved by two of the biggest hearts this world ever knew, and that is their legacy to us who have to survive their passing – their love! Please know from someone who spent her whole life with the two of them…even though they couldn’t be with all of you, or you didn’t hear from them for long periods of time, they felt your joy, they felt your sorrow, they felt your love, because you were always in their hearts.
The Cronberg family would like to thank everyone who loved, helped care for, and/or made possible for Betty and Bill to pass on in their home they loved so much. God bless you all.
There will be a memorial service for both Betty and Bill at St. John’s Catholic Church at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29. All are welcome to honor and celebrate the life of these two beautiful people.
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