Obituary: Brad McKinstry

Bradley C. McKinstry, 85, of Carlton, passed away Aug. 30, 2024, at Viewcrest Health Center in Duluth. He was born May 26, 1939, in Ashland, Wisconsin, the son of Alexander and Norma (Lee) McKinstry.

Brad graduated from Esko High School in 1957. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1957 to 1963. Brad married Marlys Amren on Feb. 24, 1962, in St. Hilaire, Minnesota. He worked for Northwest Paper in Cloquet and Potlatch, and retired in 2000.

Brad loved University of Minnesota Duluth hockey and had season tickets in section 28 for years. He was a member of the Cloquet Connection.

Brad celebrated more than 40 years of sobriety with Alcoholics Anonymous.

He was a member of the Potlatch Quarter Century Club, the wood fiber committee, Labor Union 939, and Bethesda Lutheran Church in Carlton.

Brad was preceded in death by his

parents; an infant daughter, Mary; one brother, Robert McKinstry; and one sister, Alayne Pertler.

He is survived by his wife, Marlys; son, Ronald (Jackie) McKinstry; daughters, Jody Lange and Kristen (Dean "Dino") Wakefield; seven grandchildren, Bradley (Amanda) McKinstry, Amy-Beth (Alex) Hall, Alexandra Jeffries, Hannah (Andrew) Johnson, Shelby (Josh) Bosley, Daniel (Shelby) Wakefield and Marlee Wakefield; three great-grandchildren, Sadie, Benjamin and Sulo; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation: 1 p.m. until the 2 p.m. memorial service Saturday, Sept. 7 at Bethesda Lutheran Church in Carlton, followed by lunch. Inurnment services will be at Hillside Cemetery in Carlton with military honors presented by the Nicholson-Sellgren VFW Post 2962 Honor Guard. Arrangements are by Nelson Funeral Care of Cloquet. To sign an online registry, visit http://www.nelsonfuneralcare.net.

Pine Knot News, Sept. 6, 2024