Obituary: Colleen Basney

Colleen Ann Basney, 73, of St. Paul and formerly of Cloquet, peacefully passed away with her daughters by her side on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. She was born March 26, 1951, in Newcastle, Wyoming and grew up in Cloquet.

Colleen graduated from Cloquet High School in 1969, Abbott Northwestern School of Nursing in 1973, and Abbott Northwestern School of Anesthesia in 1979.

She worked more than 40 years as a certified registered nurse anesthetist. Her career took her to a variety of settings, including St. Luke's Hospital in Duluth, University of Wisconsin-Madison Health, outpatient surgery centers in Minneapolis and St. Paul, and non-profit trips to Nicaragua, where she assisted in cleft lip and palate surgeries. Her calm and confident manner reassured thousands of patients as they entered the surgery suite.

Colleen was physically active and cherished spending time outdoors. She loved kayaking, walking, gardening, driving her convertible, and cross-country skiing. She instilled in her daughters a love of the outdoors and an appreciation of how to spend time outside no matter the weather. She especially enjoyed running and completed a number of half and full marathons, including Grandma's in Duluth and the Twin Cities Marathon. When not outside, she could often be found enjoying a book or in the company of friends at home. One of her greatest joys was spending quality time with her children and grandchildren, whether on vacation or a relaxing Sunday afternoon at home.

Colleen was a trailblazer - whether it was selecting vacation destinations that were off the beaten path, embracing new fashion trends or adopting organic food, she was always ahead of the curve. Colleen had an eye for art and interior design and enjoyed scouring antique shops for unique pieces. Though she was small in stature, Colleen's kind manner made an outsized impact on all those around her, which will endure for years to come.

Colleen is preceded in death by her parents, Herbert and Byrne Basney. She is survived by her three children: Jessica Johnson (Greg Kryzer and her two children) of Minneapolis, Elizabeth Johnson (Mikhail Kim) of Brooklyn, New York, and Meghan Johnson (Casey Odom) of Boulder, Colorado. Colleen is also survived by brothers: Jerry Basney (Jackie Basney) of Andover, Minnesota, and Keith Basney (Margie Basney) of Show Low, Arizona. Additionally, Colleen is survived by her beloved standard poodle, Blanche.

Colleen's family would like to thank friends and family for the ongoing support during Colleen's lymphoma and related treatments. This includes poodle club friends who took her dog to the park for playdates, friends who drove her to the doctor, and all those who came for visits and brought her favorite foods. The family would also like to thank Julie for her friendship and her help on this journey as well as St. Croix Hospice for its care and comfort during her final weeks.

A memorial service will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 at Maple Grove Cemetery in Cloquet, with a gathering to follow.

Arrangements are being made in Nelson Funeral Care in Cloquet.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Colleen's honor to Heifer International at http://www.heifer.org.

Pine Knot News, Nov. 1, 2024