ALBERTA ANN MCGATH KINTIGH

Alberta Ann McGath Kintigh passed on to her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Sunday Oct. 25, after a brave battle with cancer.

Alberta was born at home in Superior, Wis., on March 4, 1928.

When she was 11 months old, she contracted pneumonia in Finland, Minn. Her mother, Jennie Ohlgren Dudek, gave her skunk oil that the Native American Ojibwa living in the area had given to her, and the oil which comes from the skunk plant, saved her life. Alberta went to school in Duluth skipping two half grades in grade school, and graduated from Duluth Denfeld in 1945.

Alberta was a talented seamstress, cook, baker and handicraft maker. She sewed suits, dresses, shirts and baked breads and pies and other delicious items and meals. She crocheted scarves, blankets, and elegant coats, hats and infant outfits.

A hard worker, Alberta's first job at age eight was peeling pulpwood for a penny a stick. She worked at Bridgeman's cleaning strawberries, in a bakery as a bread wrapper. She worked for the Telephone Company, Newberry's and at Kelly Howe Thompson Warehouse. Over the years she held jobs at City Market and Duluth Avionics.

Alberta loved children and worked at Happy Time Day Care Center, Early Years Day Care and later as a Foster Grandmother in Solon Springs and for the YWCA in Superior.

Alberta loved playing Bingo and had many wonderful matinee Bingo friends; Eleanor, Lillian, Norma, and Brenda at Black Bear Casino. She was also a member of a "Red Hat" club.

Alberta spent many winters with her daughter Mary and son-in-law Henry in Arizona. During her lifetime she traveled to Austria, Germany, England, Ireland, Iceland, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Czechoslovakia, and Hawaii and many US cities.

She was preceded in death by her son, John Wilmot and granddaughter, Jessie Ruddy.

She is survived by her loving husband, Willis (Dick) Kintigh of Superior; a son, Daniel Johnson-Wilmot of La Crosse, Wis.; three daughters, Sandra Quam of Superior, Jane Borske of Minneapolis, and Mary (Henry) Gnoza of Mesa, Ariz.;, step daughters, Sarah (Kent) Wallace of Arlington, Texas and Patty (Chris) Baraks of Joshua, Texas; one brother, Elmer (Verna) Ohlgren of Virginia Minn.; two sisters, Evelyn Lepley of Proctor, Delores Anderson of Duluth; 14 grandchildren, and 14 great grandchildren and many cousins, nieces and nephews and friends.

Alberta and Willis are members of Forbes United Methodist Church in Proctor and are very grateful to Pastor Pamela Barbour and church members, the St. Mary's Hospice and Palliative Care and Solvay Hospice for their support and prayers during her illness. The family wishes to express gratitude to cousins Marlene and Gary Hoover (Minneapolis) for their telephone prayer on Saturday October 24th that brought comfort and strength to Alberta and her family.

VISITATION: 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009 in the Sunrise Memorial Chapel, 4798 Miller Trunk Highway, Hermantown. Visitation will continue at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 29 until the 11 a.m. Funeral service in Forbes United Methodist Church in Proctor, 33 Grove Street, Proctor, with Pastor Pamela Barbour officiating. Burial will be at Sunrise Memorial Park. Memorials may be made in Alberta's name to either Forbes United Methodist Church, 33 Grove Street, Proctor, or Happy Times Day Care Center, 203 N 25 Ave W Duluth, MN.