Obituary: Galen M. Sillanpa

Galen Marlin Sillanpa, 70, of Cloquet passed away Dec. 15, 2024, at Inter-Faith Care Center in Carlton. He was born in Duluth on April 12, 1954, one of 11 children of William and Aino (Mursu) Sillanpa.

Galen graduated from Denfeld High School in 1972 and attended the former Suomi College and Vermilion College. He was employed as a private homecare attendant, later as a physical therapy aide, and as an activity department aide for Inter-Faith Care Center. His former wife was Laura Brubaker of Columbus, Ohio.

He was a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Cloquet and a follower of Jesus Christ. He felt the things that made life worth living were his faith and family. He would help friends and strangers at his apartment, with finances, and in other ways. Money and personal property weren’t very important to him. What he had he would give to others. He was a poet who shared his writings at his church, places he would frequent in Cloquet, and with family and friends.

Galen was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Alvin; sister, Elaine (Breimon); sister-in-law, Linda Sillanpa; and special friend David Guyard.

He is survived by many siblings, Ronald, of Esko; Lola McCauley, Larry (Jennifer), John (Toby) and Gerald (Cheryl) of Duluth; Marla (James McCann), Rosemount; Norma (Frankie “Jim” DeDominces), Cloquet; and Daniel, Thailand; and special friend Gary Anderson.

The family thanks the staff at Inter-Faith Care Center and Aspirus St. Luke’s At Home Hospice, Duluth, for their compassionate assistance.

A time of remembrance for Galen will be held Friday, Dec. 20 at Atkins-Northland Funeral Home, 801 14th St., Cloquet. Visitation: 10 a.m. until the 11 a.m. service, Inter-Faith Chaplain Jon Skansgaard presiding. A lunch will follow the service.

Burial will be at a later date at a family plot in Woodland Cemetery in New York Mills, Minnesota.